


The Captured Witch

by vixevilcat7



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Wrong Turn (2003)
Genre: Alternate Timelines, Alternate Universe, Explicit Language, F/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Multi, Non-Explicit Sex, Post-Hogwarts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-02-07
Packaged: 2021-03-15 07:34:58
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,908
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28684920
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vixevilcat7/pseuds/vixevilcat7
Summary: Based on a plot bunny that I didn't intend to write myself. Plot bunny posted on FB page, The Plunny Farm. War is still going on Harry Potter nor the Dark Lord can't get the edge over the other one. Hermione Granger is captured and passed around the Death Eaters. After escaping, she marries, has a kid. They flee to America where they completely vanish. Rowle is astounded to learn her child is also his. Voldy sends him, Yaxley and Dolohov to retrieve her and the child. In America, things have gone from bad to worse for Hermione. During an innocent camping trip, her husband is killed, she and child taken captive by backwoods cannibals. Old man takes a shine to her beautiful child, declares them his daughter and grandson, promises to catch her a man to continue providing him with 'pretty' grandbabies.
Relationships: Anthony Goldstein/Hermione Granger, Hermione Granger/Thorfinn Rowle
Comments: 12
Kudos: 27
Collections: vixevilcat7





	1. Chapter 1

This war was never going to END! Three years! Three years and counting! They were STILL at it. Neither of them seemed to know how to end the standoff! Everyone was getting worn down and careless. None more so than Hermione Granger, best friend of the chosen one. 

She was ready, past ready to get on with her life. She’d finished her schooling amid threats of war. She’d applied for a Ministry job and been accepted. She and Ron had tried a relationship and decided they were better off as friends. He was currently dating Lavender Brown who had been crazy about him since sixth year. He and Lavender had helped HER hook up with Anthony Goldstein and they were almost ready to take the plunge. It was just a matter of finding the right time to do it. 

She kept a potions lab set up at Grimmauld Place, where she now lived. Her parents were still hidden and she knew she’d never bring them back. They had been under the Memory charm too long. There would be no way to ever restore the memories she had taken from them. She was running low on certain potions ingredients so she decided she needed to do a quick supply run. Of course, she knew the Death Eaters were out there. There was always a risk of capture, but as long as she was careful, she should be ok. It was just supposed to be a there and back trip. 

She carefully scanned the area before walking away from Grimmauld Place. She headed for the Leaky Cauldron and slipped through the shadowy hallway to the back wall. As she tapped out the pattern, she failed to look behind her. If she had, she would have seen the wizard in black robes, staring at her. She slipped through the archway and headed straight for the apothecary. Along the way, she got distracted a moment, staring at wedding robes in the window of Tattings and Twilfit. 

The wizard paused, watching her. He didn’t want to draw attention to them. Finally, she went on. He looked in the window, taking note of the robes she’d been staring at so longingly. Then he went on behind her. She’d been on their capture list for the past three years now. They had almost given up on the idea. Voldemort had some kind of notion that Harry Potter would willingly die if they had her in custody! He couldn’t believe the stroke of luck that had led him to the Leaky Cauldron today. 

He had been waiting three long years for this day. Finally he could do now what he’d tried to do then. There was no Potter or Weasley here to back her up. It was just her and him! He was bigger, stronger and faster. She’d be gone before she knew it. The Dark Lord might even give her to him as a reward for capturing her, after he used her against Potter, of course! 

His eyes traced down her slim back as he wondered how many men she’d bedded since Hogwarts. It was too much to wish he could have been the first one. No doubt, that honor had been Weasley’s or possibly Krum’s, the way HE’D looked at her that year! 

He personally would have made sure he was the ONLY one she ever remembered! His body stirred at the memory of that periwinkle blue dress and her looking almost unrecognizable, hair up and makeup perfect! She’d seemed to float in on the arm of Viktor Krum! He'd wanted so badly to snatch her up, find a broom closet or even a long table, lay her down and have his wicked way with her!

She ducked into the apothecary and headed straight to the back where her main supply of ingredients were always located. She was very good friends with the owner, who had actually offered her an internship with him. He was old and didn’t have any family to leave his shop to. She was seriously thinking about it. Her job at the Ministry was nowhere near as fulfilling as she’d thought it would be. Hans, the owner, was nowhere in sight at the moment but Hermione would leave him a note and her money. 

He followed her to the back, making sure the old man wasn’t in sight. It wouldn’t do to let himself be seen making off with her. He watched what she was grabbing, grinning as he recognized the ingredients. His mother had used that same potion every month, for years. She must have fairly bad cramps to be using it. With one more look around to make sure they were alone and unobserved, he made his move. 

A shadow fell over her, coming closer until she could feel the warmth of another person behind her. She had just straightened to turn around when she was grabbed, a hand capped over her mouth, and forced out the back door! Her screams were muffled and her struggles didn’t seem to faze the person behind her. She felt the tug behind her navel as the person activated a Portkey!

When they popped back into view, she really started fighting. She didn’t know who had her but they had brought her back to Malfoy Manor! It could only be a Death Eater! He strode up the drive to the front door and carried her inside. Moments later, she was again in the dreaded drawing room. This time Voldemort was there with his full Inner Circle. 

She was dropped on the floor and forced to bow. “Ah, who do we have here? Well, Miss Granger. How very pleasant to grave us with your presence.” Voldemort hissed gleefully. He motioned her captor to allow her to rise. She straightened instantly, glaring at the madman. He grasped her chin and looked intently at her. She realized too late what he was doing!

‘Hermione and Anthony walking hand in hand, on a first date. Sitting on a bench, debating elf right on a second date’. More and more details of her life spilt out as he moved through all her memories. He began chuckling as he realized her intention of marrying as a virgin. Her first time would be her wedding night. He pulled back as she collapsed in the floor, clutching her head. 

“I have a special treat for you, my followers!” he conjured a handful of straws. They watched with interest as he broke one of them in half, then clenched them in his hand. “Gather around. You will now draw straws. The one who pulls the short straw will receive a very special present!”

Hermione watched in horror as the cheering wizards gathered to pull a straw from their leader’s hand. It wasn’t the noisy ones she was scared of: they were taunting her with promises of Crucio and other torture. No, it was the quiet one she was scared of. Molly Weasley had taken her, Ginny and other girls in the Order of the Phoenix aside and spoken to them about a possible outcome of capture: rape. Right now, he was staring at her like she was stark naked in front of him! She could tell because he wasn’t looking at her face, he was looking at her body! 

When there were only two straws left and the short one still hadn’t been pulled, he and one other wizard moved forward. She knew the other wizard wanted to kill her. He’d certainly tried hard enough over the years but alas he’d failed each time. As they both reached for a straw, she found herself hoping that Dolohov pulled the short straw. Then she would know she was definitely going to die. As it happened, he pulled the long straw as the other man grasped the short one. He smiled triumphantly at her. 

“Congratulations are in order to,” the Dark Lord paused for a dramatic moment. “Thorfinn Rowle!”


	2. Muggles call it wish fulfillment!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowle fulfills a long held fantasy. Hermione frustrates Mulciber during questioning. Harry Potter challenges Voldemort. Hermione is rescued! Next chapter: facing Anthony! 
> 
> Sorry for the childish humor! Thought I'd give you a bit of a giggle before getting serious again! 
> 
> Trigger warnings: Language and one slap during interrogation.

Hermione and Rowle stared at one another. He strode over, picked her up and carried her, kicking and screaming, crying and begging, out of the room. He gave one hard look over his shoulder as he left.

“And that, my friends, is the patented ‘Touch my woman and you WILL die an UGLY death!’ look of Rowle possession!” Yaxley laughed. “We’ll be much better off to simply try and torture some answers out of the girl.”

Dolohov sighed. “And I was so hoping to be able to finish the job this time. Damn boy had to go and win the short straw!”

Voldemort laughed at them. “Ah, my boys, there are plenty of Muggleborns still out there, just waiting to be tortured and killed. One little Muggleborn girl isn’t the end of the world. Right now, all I’m worried about is how to kill that blasted Harry Potter!”

“She should have some idea of his weaknesses, right?” asked Mulciber. He wasn’t one to contribute too much to the discussion. Most of the time, while everyone else was paying attention to the Dark Lord, he and Rowle would be having heated arguments about Quidditch! Being Beaters on opposing Quidditch teams would bring out that particular trait! 

“Personally I could care less about questioning her. I just want to go cause some more chaos!” McNair stated. “Isn’t there any business somewhere that needs a few minutes of havoc wreaked on it?” he pouted as he looked around. 

Voldemort knew it would be a good while before they saw either hide or hair of Rowle or Hermione Granger. He decided they would go out and have a revel. Rowle was normally the first one up and ready for one. He’d been planning Granger’s capture for three years, though. Nothing would distract him now that he had her in his hands! 

He commanded Bellatrix to stay and keep her eyes on the Malfoys. He still hadn’t forgotten that they had allowed the Trio to escape years ago. He didn’t need them allowing his strongest warrior to be caught by surprise. He thought that either Yaxley or Dolohov had once told him the young man kept his room tightly warded. That would be necessary in case the Order attacked before they returned. Rodolphus and Rabastan went with them as well.

Draco and Narcissa exchanged glances as they looked towards Lucius. They’d all heard the screams and realized they were moving away from the drawing room. “Is he taking her to his room?” Draco asked.

“Sounds like it.” Said Lucius. “At least he’s giving her that much privacy, Draco. He could easily have slung her to the floor and taken her down there in their midst.”

“Very true, Draco. It wouldn’t have been the first time that happened, either.” Narcissa told her son. She shuddered at the memories of having to watch as random Muggleborn women were thrown down and raped in her drawing room.

Bellatrix strolled into their sitting room. “Oh, listen to that! Ah, I love it! The sound of terror is so sweet!” she gushed. The Malfoys were silent. “Oh, don’t be so down, everyone! You know Rowle has been planning for this a long time now!” 

Draco sighed. He wished there was some way he could help poor Granger. With Bella’s eagle eyes on them, though, there was no way for any of them to get a distress message out. 

Down on the first floor, Rowle had carried her into his room and dropped her on his bed. As Hermione scrambled off the bed and flattened against the wall, she watched him closely. He waved his wand around. The door locked and seemed to fade into the wall. An old fashioned phonograph began playing soft music that sounded vaguely familiar to her. He slowly turned to face her. He pointed his wand at her but sent a nonverbal spell. She braced herself for pain but nothing happened. He was smiling at her. He slowly reached up and twisted a portion of his own hair into a ponytail and stuck the wand through it. His clothes seemed to merge into a formal dress robe over a black tuxedo. He strolled over and held out his hand to her. 

“May I have this dance, Granger?” he asked softly. She stared at him in disbelief. He looked over to her side. She turned and there was a mirror. She gasped at her appearance. If she didn’t know her own reflection, she wouldn’t have recognized herself. She remembered this dress. It was the periwinkle blue dress she’d worn to the Yule Ball her fourth year. He had somehow recreated her appearance from that night! 

“Rowle? What is this?” she asked, finally taking his hand. She wasn’t sure what kind of trick this was. But if it kept her out of his bed, she’d gladly dance with him. 

“The night you came down to the Yule Ball in this dress, it blew my mind, Granger. I’d not paid much attention to you before then, you were only a fourth year after all. But this dress, it cemented you into my memory. All I could think of, that whole evening, was trying to NOT kill Viktor Krum every time he touched you!” he pulled her close as they slow danced around the room. She recognized the song now. It was the same opening song from that Yule Ball. 

“I was scared to death that night. I wasn’t very good at walking in heels. I was scared I’d fall down the stairs. Then I was afraid I’d dance all over his feet that night!” she laid her cheek against his chest. He chuckled at her. 

“I wanted to deck Krum so badly, grab you up and disappear with you. But I’d already been warned by Professor Snape to be on my best behavior. That was all that saved Krum that night!” he told her quietly. 

“Krum wasn’t the worst part of that evening.” She said remembering what else a happened. 

“Yeah, Weasley almost got tossed off the Astronomy Tower the next time we were both up there. Had I been any closer to him, I definitely would have given him a shove. I didn’t want HIM anywhere near you, either!” he rubbed his face against the smooth up do as he pulled it loose. Her hair tumbled down around her shoulders. She shivered at the feel of his fingers, combing gently through it. She’d never been able to resist someone playing with her hair. It was how Ron had gotten his first kiss from her. Anthony loved playing with her hair. 

She hadn’t noticed them getting closer and closer to the bed. He had very carefully avoided it. He had to play this just right. He knew she and Goldstein were together but they weren’t married yet. As long as she was still single, he still had a chance! He could feel her relaxing as he played with her curls. He just needed to keep her distracted long enough to have his way with her. 

With that thought in mind, he leaned down and kissed her. Not enough to alarm her, just a quick peck on the lips. He was pleased when she allowed it. By this time, they were almost parallel with the bed. Before she could object, he had her laid down and in a full blown kiss. He kept one hand in her hair as he ran the other hand down her side. She stiffened and tried to pull away until he cupped her cheek and gently nibbled her earlobes. Apparently they were another soft spot as she immediately gasped and arched against him.   
He reached behind her and had the dress unzipped before she knew it. Trying desperately to keep Anthony’s image in her mind proved impossible as he bared her breasts and worked his magic. His hands and lips were pure magic as he weaved his spell around her! Before long, they were naked and moving together. A long gasp ending in a moan spelled the end of her innocence. They tumbled over the edge and faded into sleep, breathless and satisfied. 

The next morning, Rowle was greeted with a shriek as she shoved him away from her, off the bed. He cursed as he hit the floor with a loud thump! “Bloody fucking hell, Granger, you trying to kill me?!”

“What the bloody hell was that last night?” she seethed. He smirked at her. 

“You should know that, Granger. Muggles call it wish fulfillment.” He shrugged casually as he answered her.

“You arrogant wanker! How dare you! I’m engaged to be MARRIED!” she screamed at him.

“Don’t you blame it all on me, Granger! I wasn’t the only one enjoying myself last night!” he growled at her. “Maybe you’re not as happily engaged as you thought, aye?” 

She gritted her teeth. “l am PERFECTLY happy with my engagement, thank you very much!”

“Really? In that case, you shouldn’t have been so happy to respond to me last night then! Which is it, Granger? You were happy or not? Because I can tell you, from where I was laying, you sounded awfully fucking happy to me!” he snarled. 

She shrieked again, almost incoherent with rage as she threw a pillow at him. “Get out! Get out right now!”

“I don’t HAVE to get out! It’s my bloody fucking room!” he yelled. She snarled with rage as she pulled the top sheet off the bed, wrapping it around her as she dashed into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her and locking it. 

He laid there a moment, rubbing his hands over his face. Once he was fully awake, he remembered that he still had to allow the others to ‘question’ her, aka torture her. He wasn’t looking forward to it. He’d have to restrain himself from killing them all for hurting her! 

He stood up and smiled wickedly. He strode, naked, over to the door. Using one of the few spells he knew wandlessly, he opened the locked door and entered the room. The door slammed shut behind him as a muffled shriek was heard from within. 

In the drawing room, the Malfoys had deigned to join their fellow Death Eaters. They were all sitting around the coffee table or leaning on walls around the room. Rowle came in, pulling an angrily screaming Hermione behind him. He conjured a straight back chair, pushed her into it and tied her down. He kissed her long and hard, then backed off. He waved his hand at her as he looked at the others. 

Yaxley and Dolohov were too busy sniggering to even think about questioning her. The Lestrange brothers were also having trouble concealing their laughter. McNair was eagerly waiting to go wreck more havoc somewhere. Bellatrix had already been told she wasn’t allowed to question the girl. The Malfoys could care less. That left Mulciber as the only one to step up. Voldemort had never seen him question anyone. He hung back to observe his interrogation skills.

“Harry Potter has gone out of the public eye. Where is he? What is his weakness?” Mulciber questioned her. 

Instead of answering him, she asked a question of her own. “What’s your name? I know everyone else but I don’t know you! I don’t answer questions unless I know who I’m talking to!” 

“Mulciber. Now answer the questions!” he snapped.

“Mulciber what?” she evaded answering again. 

He sighed with exasperation. “Don’t you mean what Mulciber?”

She gasped. “Your first name is WHAT? What kind of parent names their child What Mulciber?!” 

He rolled his eyes at her. “My first name is NOT what! It’s not your business what my first name is! Just answer the damn questions!” 

“You’re a Beater! For the Appleby Arrows, right? Is that why you can’t remember your first name? Took too many Bludgers to the head? Don’t worry! You’re not the only one! Rowle’s taken one too many Bludgers to the head as well! Kidnapping a witch is a very serious crime!” she scolded Rowle as she taunted Mulciber. By now, everyone in the room, even Voldemort and McNair were sniggering helplessly at her. 

Mulciber snarled as he backhanded her. “ANSWER THE FUCKING QUESTIONS! NOW!”

Hermione snarled back. “You bloody wanker! You best hope I don’t find out where that damn Neanderthal has hidden my wand! I’ll Confound you so far into next week, your bloody great, great, great, grandchildren will have trouble remembering their bloody first names, too!”

Just then, an owl fluttered into the room. It flew straight to Voldemort. It had an envelope attached to its leg. He had already released the letter before he realized it was a Howler. He tried to drop the letter but it was too late. The letter began to smoke, then words began spilling from it!

“Moldy Voldy, pudding and pie,   
Kissed the witches and made them cry!  
When the wizards came out to play,   
Moldy Voldy ran away!  
Hey, Voldy, I got your nose! Meet me, front and center of Weasley’s Wizardly Wheezes! Let’s settle this, once and for all!” came the unmistakable voice of Harry Potter. Voldemort snarled, enraged! He and the other Death Eaters quickly Disapparated! 

Five minutes later, the Order busted in, forcing Narcissa and the house elves to surrender Hermione Jean Granger to them. Turns out someone HAD seen Rowle make off with Hermione. Fletcher had only gotten around, that morning, to reporting her disappearance to the Order! 

Hermione was simultaneously anger and grateful to the odious little man. On the one hand, she was angry he hadn’t sent help immediately last night. But on the other hand, at least he HAD sent help


	3. Facing Anthony

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Death Eaters escape the trap. Rowle loses his captive but gains approval and permission. Hermione faces Anthony as they talk about her recent captivity and their future.

The Death Eaters popped into view on the street in front of the joke shop belonging to the twin gingers. They looked around warily. ‘Where the hell was that little brat, Potter?’ Suddenly spells were flying at them from all directions. ‘A Trap!’ They all fell into formation around Voldemort. Rowle laid down a ring of fire around them as Voldemort gathered them close and prepared to Disapparate the entire group. 

They landed back at the Manor in time for Narcissa Malfoy and the house elves to come rushing out. They were babbling about a raid! The Order of the Phoenix had just left! They’d taken Granger! Rowle roared in anger as he rushed into the house. He ran to the drawing room, then his bedroom. She was gone, damn it! Damnit! Damn it! 

He came back out to Mulciber claiming it was no great loss. He rushed at him, remembering that he had slapped Granger while questioning her. He knocked the other Beater down and started punching the bloody hell out of him. 

“Merlin, Rowle! She’s just a damn little Mudblood! What’s your problem?!” Mulciber snapped, trying to get in a punch or two. “It’s not like you’re going to marry the little bint! She’s not a pureblood! You’d never get her accepted!”

“That’s what YOU think! You couldn’t get away with marrying her but I can! My family isn’t Sacred Twenty Eight! And just so you know, I DO fully intend to marry her! She WILL be the mother of my children! And YOU will not lay another hand on her! Sacred heir or not, the next time you touch her, I’ll kill you!” Rowle growled angrily at him. He beat Mulciber unconscious, then stood up. He walked over and knelt in front of Voldemort, shamelessly unrepentant. 

Voldemort looked down at the young man and laughed. “Very well. I can see not even torture will change your mind about the Mudblood. I hereby declare the Muggleborn Granger as your reward for saving me so faithfully, young Rowle. When you catch up with her again, you have my full permission to marry her and produce heirs with her.” 

Rowle smiled and nodded. He stood and walked back to his room. Locking and warding his door, he went to the bed. Laying down, he remembered her there with him. He glanced at the bedside table. He reached over, pulled the drawer open and smiled wickedly as he realized HER wand was still in HIS possession. 

Three days later 

THE GREAT FAKEOUT by Rita Skeeter, the Daily Prophet 

“Greetings, it is I, your faithful reporter, documenting the not so great confrontation supposedly arranged by the CHOSEN ONE, the Boy Who Lived! Yes, I’m talking about Harry Potter himself! We were all anticipating a final battle yesterday and what did we get? A great, big fake out! The SUPPOSED encounter was scheduled to be fought in front of the WWW joke shop! Instead we had the Dark Lord and his followers but no Harry Potter or the Order of the Phoenix to be seen. We are now told it was all a hoax put in motion to run to the ‘rescue’ of presumably ‘kidnapped’ Hermione Granger! Miss Granger, last seen in the company of Anthony Goldstein, has apparently taken up her old habit of collecting the hearts of Quidditch players as she has now stolen the affections of one Thorfinn Rowle, the eligible bachelor who plays Beater for the Ballycastle Bats! She was seen in an intimate embrace and enjoyed a cozy evening with him, only to turn tail and flee, crying ‘kidnap!’ As of right now, we still have NO positive confirmation of a crime committed. Neither Mr. Goldstein nor Miss Granger have bothered to give any statement on the matter. More to come.” 

“Oh, great! Just what I need! A story like this!” Hermione wailed in despair. “Anthony will hate me forever! The wedding is ruined. I’m never going to get married!”

“Hermione! Calm down! Just because Anthony hasn’t been by yet is no reason to panic! He loves you and he’s looking forward to marrying you!” Ginny tried to soothe her into looking at the bright side. As of yet, Hermione couldn’t SEE a bright side. All she could see was her fiancée breaking up with her for sleeping with another man. Especially as said other man was also a confirmed Death Eater!

It had been three days since she was rescued. Realizing that Rowle had seemed to have a fixation with her, she’d been afraid to stay at Grimmauld Place. Especially after she realized the Order had been in such a hurry to get her out of there, they’d neglected to get her wand! It was still in HIS possession! She’d also vetoed Anthony’s home. Rowle hadn’t questioned the fact of her engagement nor who she was engaged to. He’d just questioned whether she was happily engaged. She wouldn’t put it past him to grab her from there. So she was currently staying at the Burrow with Ginny. Anthony had sent her a note, telling her he would be by soon. That was two days ago!

She was sitting in the kitchen, talking to Mrs. Weasley and Ginny when they heard the Floo. Mr. Weasley and Anthony walked into the kitchen together. She jumped up and ran to him. He held her tightly. They walked back to the living room. The Weasley’s stayed in the kitchen, giving them some privacy.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do it. I tried to resist.” She dropped her head in shame. “I’ll understand if you don’t want to have anything else to do with me.” She finished in a low whisper. 

“Hermione, what are you talking about? Why wouldn’t I want anything to do with you?” he took her shoulders in his hands. “Look at me.” He waited until she looked at him. “Did you want to stay with him?” she frowned at him as she shook her head.

“No. I didn’t.” she reassured him. Staying with Rowle had been the last thing she wanted to do! 

“Did he force you?” Anthony cocked his head at her. He knew about her weak spots but he’d never pushed her further than she was willing to go.

“No.” here she began to cry. It was why she was so worried. The fact that Rowle hadn’t really forced her to sleep with him was scary. What if he’d been right? What if she really wasn’t happily engaged? Would this happen again? “He didn’t force me. He just-.”

“-Used your weak spots against you. He seduced you.” Anthony finished. He could see how much the very thought upset her. “Hermione, I’m not mad. Not at you anyway. I was more worried that he HAD forced you. I know about your weak spots. Ron told me about them. Right before he threatened to beat the bloody fuck out of me if I ever used them against you.” He surprised a small giggle out of her then. 

“Ron threatened you?” she asked. He smiled at her. He’d thought that would get her attention! 

“Yes, Ron threatened me. Right after we went on that third date and came back so late. We’d gone to the movies, remember? And came back all rumpled?” he chuckled as she cupped her face and turned red. 

“Oh, Merlin! I’d forgotten about that. He had Lavender and Ginny sit me down and give me ‘The Talk!” she laughed. ’”Now, Hermione! You should know there are guys out there who will try and take advantage of you! You need to be on guard at all times!”’ they laughed together. Then her smile faded as she remembered that someone HAD taken advantage of her weak spots! 

“He took my first time, Anthony! That was supposed to be for you! On our wedding night! It was SUPPOSED to be for you!” she began crying. He pulled her into a tight embrace. She laid her head on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head.

“It’s alright, Hermione, it’s alright!” he smoothed his hands over her back. He pulled her down onto the couch with him. “So we are still getting married, right?”

“I was afraid you wouldn’t want me now. I’m damaged goods.” She hiccupped. He tipped his head at her. 

“Hermione Jean Granger! You are NOT damaged goods, not by any means! Of course, I still want to marry you!” he exclaimed. 

She sagged in relief. She’d been so worried! “I love you. So very much. I’m so sorry. He got into my head. I was afraid that he was right. That I wasn’t happy with you. That I would keep letting other men turn my head.”

“I love you, too. You have to remember, Hermione. He’s older than you, vastly more experienced and he’s a smooth talker. He’s a player. He knows how to read girls and he knows how to get the reaction he wants.” He smoothed her hair back from her face. “None of which makes the slightest difference to me. It doesn’t matter that he took your first time. I’m still the one you’re marrying. That’s what is important to me.” Anthony told her firmly. 

“We’re still getting married!” she giggled in relief, cuddling against him. He laughed and pulled her into his lap. The Weasley’s came into the living room to find them happily discussing when they wanted to have the ceremony. Hermione had made up her mind the day she was rescued. If Anthony still wanted her, come hell or high water, they were getting married as soon as they could! No more waiting! It had cost them enough! 

Two days later, in the living room of the Burrow, Hermione Granger and Anthony Goldstein were married. All their friends were there to congratulate them. They announced that they would only be there a short while longer. Soon they would be going to America. Anthony had distant relatives who had moved there years ago. They weren’t taking any more chances on Rowle attempting to kidnap Hermione again. She would stay hidden at the Burrow until he had all the arrangements made.


	4. Wands and Pardons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rowle is persuaded to give up Hermione’s wand, with a little added to it, of course. Yaxley and Dolohov are no longer wanted men. Hermione makes a discovery and tells Anthony. He astonishes her with news of his own. They continue making plans.

Rowle stared at the letter the owl had just brought. It was from the Ministry. They were demanding Granger’s wand back. ‘Yeah, good luck with that! It was his only connection with her and he WASN’T giving it up! She wanted it back so bad, let HER come and get it back!’ He smiled at that thought. Now that he knew how to get through her defenses, he didn’t see her being that brave. Ten to one, she knew if SHE tried to collect the wand, she would wind up right back in his bed! 

He counted off the days since he’d seen her. He deliberately hadn’t cast a Contraceptive Charm and kept her too distracted to do it, too. If he was right, and Merlin, he hoped he was, she should be feeling it any day now. He was completely serious when he told Mulciber she would carry his children. He could care less about her Muggle background. He wanted her in his life, in his bed! The rest of the sacred twenty eight could go screw themselves for all he cared! His father was the one who had bought into all that business. His mother didn’t care, either way. She just wanted him to be happy. He WOULD be happy, just as soon as he had Granger, bonded to him for life!

He’d heard through Yaxley that she’d really gone ahead and married that damn Goldstein! They better be glad they were being so careful to stay hidden! He wanted to rip the fucker from limb to limb! He’d been hanging outside the Leaky Cauldron, Grimmauld Place and fucking Goldstein’s place. No dice! It was like his little lady had vanished completely! He knew she was still in Britain, though, because damn Goldstein was still working at the damn Ministry! 

There was one way to make sure he could find her. That was to plant a tracker in her wand. Damn, though, he hated to give it up! He made sure the Ministry paid dearly for it! On the off chance they did discover his tracker, he made sure Yaxley got his job back and he got Dolohov his pardon. Now they could go to the pub with him while he drowned his sorrow over Granger. He reluctantly let them take the wand. 

Yaxley had heard another rumor. The Goldstein’s were planning to move out of the country. Rowle made him swear, if the fucker took Granger out of Britain, he’d find out where they’d gone. Then he’d go kill Goldstein and take his woman back!

Anthony set out to make arrangements for their move to America. He also, through the Office of Magical Law Enforcement, tried to get Hermione’s wand back from Rowle. It took a little over a month and a half to get the young man persuaded to give up the wand. It finally came down to giving Yaxley his Auror position back and completely pardoning Dolohov for his crimes in the first and second war before Voldemort swore he was ‘able’ to ‘convince’ the youngster to release the wand to the Ministry. 

Harry and Ron, training under Alastair Moody, came to deliver the news. They arrived in time for supper. As everyone was sitting down, Harry told Hermione. “I have some good news and some bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”

Hermione sighed. She had some bad news of her own but it was only for Anthony’s ears. “Let’s have the good news, then you can tell me the bad news.”

“Good news is, we finally got your wand back from Rowle.” She raised her brows in surprise. She’d already anticipated making another trip to Ollivander’s to get another wand. “The bad news is, we’re going to have to bring Mr. Ollivander to the Ministry to check it over. Moody thinks Rowle possibly might have attached a few tracking spells on it. He didn’t figure you’d want Rowle being able to track you down.” 

“Definitely not!” Hermione answered firmly. “Do you know how long it might take? To check it over, I mean? We’ll be leaving soon. I’d really rather have my wand when we go.”

“No. Mr. Ollivander indicated it might take at least two weeks or longer. He says these things can’t be rushed.” Harry told her apologetically. 

She sighed in disappointment. “It’s ok, Harry. I’m not sure how close Anthony is to having our arrangements made. His relatives are helping him with finding a house over there.”

“So you’re still leaving? Even though you’ll have your wand back?” Harry sounded almost wistful. He really wasn’t looking forward to her and Anthony leaving the country. He cursed the day they had run up against Rowle. He remembered Rowle from school but couldn’t recall him ever paying much attention to Hermione. The most he’d ever heard or seen of him was on the Quidditch pitch where he was insanely talented!

“Yes, Harry. We are still moving. Even though I’ll have my wand back soon. You know why we can’t stay. We can’t live the rest of our lives, looking over our shoulders, waiting to see if Rowle is going to try and grab me again. I don’t want to live like that. I definitely don’t want Anthony to have to live like that! It’s best that we go somewhere completely out of his range.” Hermione sighed. She knew Harry was going to miss her. She’d miss him as well. 

But the facts remained the same. He might not have made any overt moves lately. But she knew Rowle was still out there, just waiting to pounce. It was why she never set foot outside the wards around the Burrow. It was why Anthony kept his home tightly warded. He would Floo home, then come on to the Burrow from there. No matter how desperately she wanted to go shopping with Ginny, Fleur and Mrs. Weasley, she refused to take the chance. 

Rowle had already taken her innocence away from Anthony. Even though he said it didn’t bother him, it did bother HER. It had been her present to bestow and she’d wanted Anthony to have it! It also still bothered her how easily he’d been able to manipulate and sweet-talk her into his bed. She wasn’t going to give him another chance to prove to her just how weak her will was against his charm!

She’d never say it out loud but Anthony himself had voiced the very question she hadn’t wanted to answer. “Did you want to stay with him?” ‘No, at that time, she HADN’T wanted to stay with Rowle. But if he’d had her in his grasp much longer, that might have been a very different answer! It made her feel so ashamed to think that he had that much power over her. A little sweet-talking, a little playing on her weak spots and she’d have been his for the taking!’ THAT was one of the main reasons she was glad Anthony was moving them to America. It took her away from his influence. 

Now, of course, there was another reason to leave. It hadn’t occurred to her in the days immediately following her rescue. Nor had it dawned on her after she and Anthony were married. It wasn’t until Molly saw her symptoms and asked that she realized. Not once while she was there, in his bed, had he cast the Contraceptive Charm! 

She needed to talk to Anthony as soon as he got home. She finished eating what little she could force herself to eat. Then she went to the living room to wait for him. Soon the Floo turned green and he walked out behind Arthur. She told him to go eat, then they needed to talk. She sat with a book until he was done but kept reading the same paragraph over and over. 

Anthony came to the couch where she sat. “Ok. I can tell something is bothering you. Let’s hear it.” He had a feeling he knew what she was going to say. It was what he’d been thinking ever since they’d gotten her back. He’d thought long and hard about it before realizing it didn’t matter. It helped him and he could reassure her, put her mind at ease over the whole thing!

She tried to think of an easy way to say it. But there was no point in hiding it. Not when he’d know why she was upset again as soon as she told him. “I’m pregnant. I’ve been having morning sickness for the past two weeks. It’s why my breasts have been so tender. Molly figured it out before I did.” She closed her eyes, not wanting to see the moment his desire for her turned to dust. Not only had another man taken the innocence of his future wife, he’d also left a little present of his own. She was pregnant with Rowle’s child!

Anthony watched her face. It was impossible for her to lie. Her beautiful face was just too expressive! “Let me guess. Right about now is when I’m SUPPOSED to start stomping around, angry at you, angry at Rowle and generally being as miserable as possible. I am still furiously angry at Rowle for kidnapping you but he just saved my family line.” 

Hermione looked at him in openmouthed surprise. “Yes, he did, Hermione, and let me tell you how. When I was sixteen, I had the mumps. It might be a Muggle disease but it still hit me. It rendered me sterile. Broke my parents’ hearts. They had so counted on me to give them grandchildren. They died believing the Goldstein line would die out with me. Now, I have a chance to be a father, thanks to Rowle. I’d like to petition for the right to put MY name on the birth certificate. The baby will automatically show up on record as being a Rowle but legally it can also take my last name and inherit my line as well.”

Hermione had tears streaming down her face. “How is it that I’m so blessed? I have the best husband in the world! I love you so very much! Have I told you that today? How are you NOT furious with ME?”

“Because you haven’t done anything to make me furious. It wasn’t you who kidnapped you. I already told you he was a smooth talking player. And, yes, you told me about, what was it, four, five times, this morning?” he teased her. “I just want to make you as happy as possible. This might not be my flesh and blood child but he or she will be the child of my heart. Besides, it will only be half Rowle. The other half will be Granger, the woman I love with all my heart!” 

“It’s going to take a while for them to determine if my wand is safe. They think he might have put a tracking spell on it. Harry said it could take possibly two weeks. What if we need to leave sooner than that?” she worried. 

“No worries, Hermione, no worries. If we have to leave before they finish with the wand, they can simply ship it to our new house. It’ll probably beat us there!” he smoothed away the slight frown on her forehead. “You don’t worry about a thing. You concentrate on taking care of yourself and our baby. Do you want to tell everyone else or wait until we leave? The longer you wait, the longer Rowle is in the dark. We both know he’ll kick up his campaign if he finds out about the baby. As soon as you have your first official exam, it’ll show up in the Ministry Registry. It’ll also show up on the Rowle family tapestry.”

“We wait.” Hermione said instantly. She felt better having THAT decision taken off her shoulders! He’d received a bunch of pictures of various houses around the area they wanted to move to. They picked out houses they liked and vetoed the rest.


	5. Congratulations, Mr. Rowle, it's a boy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hitting snags. First and last exams. Agreements are handed over. Yaxley goes on the hunt. Anthony and Hermione feel uneasy. Camping trip from hell. 
> 
> MAJOR TRIGGER! MAJOR TRIGGER! Graphic violence! Graphic violence! Major CHARACTER DEATH!

Anthony was uneasy. Hermione could tell because he was silent. There was something that he was worried about. He was always ready and willing to talk to her about anything. But if it was something big, he would clam up! She decided to just ask him straight out. 

“Anthony, what’s wrong?” she laid a hand on his arm. They’d been combing through some previously vetoed houses to make sure they wouldn’t change their minds. 

“The banker. The one handling our purchase. It’s been a while since I’ve heard from him. Usually we exchange letters and pictures each week. I haven’t heard from him in over a month. I’m starting to think maybe we should find another country to move to.” Anthony was frowning. He didn’t think there was anything majorly wrong with the man. His silence could be as simple as the sale having fallen through. Anthony had been told that every property they had decided on was a hot commodity in the weekly auctions held. Possibly he’d simply been out bidden in every auction he attended. 

You never could tell with the Muggles. He was considering traveling to America to see exactly what was going on. He knew Hermione would be scared without him. He was fairly sure that Rowle still had no idea where they were staying. But it never hurt to take precautions. He resolved that if he hadn’t heard from the man in two more weeks, they would began the search somewhere else. 

“Listen, there’s something else I need to discuss with you. The adoption papers are ready to file. Once they go on record, so will the baby’s true father. This will happen at your exam. I’ve arranged it so that I can sign the papers just before we leave. We’ll go to St Mungo, then straight into the Ministry. Get our Portkey from Shacklebolt and be gone before Rowle has time to realize.” He stroked her hair. Hermione nodded. She liked the sound of that plan. Now if only the house would fall into place! 

“I also think we need to consider what we’re going to name the baby. Rowle’s name should be in there somewhere. He IS the biological father. I just don’t feel right not including him.” Anthony pecked her on the nose. Hermione sighed.

“What did you have in mind? I’m not naming a child of mine Thorfinn!” she grumbled. Anthony chuckled. 

“How about Radnor? It’s got that Viking Norse sound to it. Thorfinn does have Norse blood after all. The blonde hair, ice blue eyes and the huge build all point to that.” Anthony suggested. Hermione considered it. 

“Ito’s not bad but what if I’m carrying a girl?” she asked. Anthony thought for a few moments. Then snapped his fingers. 

“Frieda is a girl’s name, same Norse sound. It fits.” He smiled. Hermione thought about that one. 

“Ok. Radnor if it’s a boy, Frieda if it’s a girl. Middle name?” she wondered. He smiled at her again. 

“Radnor Anthony Rowle-Goldstein.” He waited for her objection. It didn’t take long. 

“No! Why does his last name have to be there?!” she rejected the name right away.

“Hermione. I told you. He IS the biological father and this child is his heir. It will inherit his estate and title. Legally, the child will also inherit my estate and title. He might as well have both names. He’s going to have a dual inheritance. He’s going to be a Rowle by blood and a Goldstein by law.” Anthony had to tell her. 

It might change their whole mindset about going to America. “Sweetheart, we can’t keep his child away from him forever. We might not be leaving once it comes to light that this is Rowle’s child. Normally, the father controls the heir. He could very easily charge us with kidnapping his son.”

“I’m the mother! It’s my child, too! They can’t charge me with kidnapping my own son, can they?” Hermione cried out. “I’m the one carrying him! Possession is 9 tenths of the law and I’m in current possession! They will NOT take my baby away from me!”

Anthony pulled her close as she started to cry. “Of course not, darling, of course they won’t! Nobody is taking the baby away from you! Nobody! I won’t let them! I’m just saying, they might not let us leave the country without some kind of agreement in place.”

“What kind of agreement? Like, a, a what? A custody agreement? We’ll be the parents! Why do we need a custody agreement? He’s not taking my child anywhere near Voldemort! That’s the deal breaker right there! If I ABSOLUTELY have to suffer letting him see this child, he will NOT take him near that maniac! That’s final!” Hermione insisted firmly.

Anthony knew that was as much of a concession as he was going to get her to agree to, for now. He knew she would keep thinking the matter over. Sooner or later, she would come up with her own version of a custody agreement. He knew that anything she came up with would also involve her personally not seeing Rowle. More than likely, HE would be taking Rowle’s child to visit his father. 

Hermione really was considering her own thoughts of a custody agreement with Rowle. She knew they were leaving the country as soon as they had a house purchased. With the banker currently missing in action, there wasn’t a lot they could do right now. She was determined that they weren’t staying a moment longer than they had to. With her scan, they would be sending notifications to both the Ministry and Rowle. That would alert him to her location. It was why she was so pleased that they would be going straight on to the Ministry. By the time Rowle reached either the hospital or the Ministry, she and Anthony would already be gone!

She grabbed a parchment and quill. She began listing possible conditions for him. The main condition being, he could not keep the child overnight until the baby was at least a year old. She fully intended to breastfeed her child and didn’t intend to wean him any earlier than she had to. She wanted her baby to enjoy being a baby as long as he could.

He could not try to turn the child against her or Anthony. That was the quickest way to get her dander up and shut his visitation rights down! Nor would she or Anthony try to turn the child against him. 

He could have as many weekend visits as he wanted with the baby but Anthony would be supervising the visits. She didn’t trust him not to try and take off with the child. Especially if he thought getting the baby back would involve Hermione coming after him herself. 

As she’d told Anthony, the real deal breaker was if she found out he was taking the child into the vicinity of Voldemort. She didn’t want her child in any kind of position near that maniac! She knew most of the pureblood wizards who followed Voldemort had followed their fathers into his service. Rowle needed to know, before anything else, that this was one child who would NOT be following his father into that madman’s hands!

It wasn’t a traditional agreement but then again she wasn’t a traditional witch. She did things her way and if Rowle wanted ANYTHING to do with his child, he would agree to her conditions! She showed it to Anthony who laughed with amusement. He could just see the outrage among the pureblood society when THIS agreement went public! 

In addition to waiting to see if they had a house purchased, they were also waiting to see if she would have her wand back. Currently it was still in the custody of the DMLE. Mad-Eye had found several different tracking spells attached to it. Ironically, none of them were Rowle’s. But then he’d remembered that Yaxley used to talk about tracking devices used by the Muggles. He’d gotten suspicions and had Mr. Ollivander take the wand apart. Sure enough, there was a tracking device hidden. Mr. Ollivander was currently rebuilding the wand. She should have it back soon. 

It was another two weeks before the banker got back in touch with Anthony. This time, he was sending pictures of remote properties. He explained that all of the populated areas were having a boom right now. There was no way they were going to get a house in any of those areas yet. But he also explained it made the less populated areas more affordable. They would be able to raise their family without fear of overcrowding and have more of a role in the community. Anthony looked at Hermione and raised his brows. It sounded sketchy to Hermione but she shrugged. Maybe the man knew what he was talking about. 

They were being sent pictures from around the West Virginia area. They weren’t sure whether they actually wanted to be in so remote of an area. They figured they could at least go check it out anyway. They could always resell the house and move onto the next country. Any day now, Hermione would have her wand back. They would go to St. Mungo and have her scan while she and Anthony signed both the adoption papers and the custody agreement she had drawn up. From there, they would go straight on to the Ministry to pick up their Portkey and travel on to America. 

Harry, Ron, Remus, Dora and Mad-Eye would be escorting them from the hospital to Ministry. Apparently Rowle and Dolohov had grown tired of watching the Leaky Cauldron, Grimmauld Place and Anthony’s home. Now they were convinced the Ministry was where they’d catch up to Hermione and Anthony. They’d taken to hanging out in the Atrium while Yaxley was at work. 

Finally it was time to leave. They had gotten their confirmation papers for their new home. Now all they had to do was make it through the scan, paper signing and the Ministry. Her wand was safely tucked into her arm holster. She hugged Mrs. Weasley, Fleur and Ginny, crying because she would miss having them with her. They went through the Floo to St Mungo and went up to the pediatrics floor. 

Hermione and Anthony were put into an exam room. Anthony helped her up on the table. She was now almost six months along. She couldn’t believe it had taken them this long to get everything straightened out. The adoption papers and the custody agreement had already been signed. They would be handed over as they left the hospital. 

The healer came in, shaking hands with them. After hearing that Hermione had been self-diagnosing herself from the start, she had her lay back and raise her shirt. She waved her wand as a clear picture popped up over Hermione’s protruding abdomen. They smiled as the baby was clearly revealed to be a boy. They all three watched as the baby stretched and turned over. The healer assured them he was developing just fine and very healthy. 

Then she addressed the issue they’d been discussing for months. The scan had just revealed Rowle’s paternity. They produced both the custody agreement and the adoption papers. All that was needed was Rowle’s signature and they would be filed as soon as he signed. The healer nodded. There was nothing she could do but replicate Hermione’s scan results for Rowle. No doubt he would come looking for his son. She watched as Hermione was helped down and steadied. 

In the hall, Harry and the others had just shown up. They set off down the hall. Mad-Eye led the way. Harry and Dora kept Hermione between them. Ron and Remus kept Anthony between them. Hermione wished there had been a way to just Floo straight into the Minister’s office. Instead they were going to have to run the gauntlet of the Atrium. They could only hope Dolohov and Rowle didn’t pick up on who was being escorted!

Down in the DMLE, Yaxley was filling out paperwork. He saw the owl fluttering around. It had a letter tied to its leg. It was floating between the offices of Mad-Eye, Harry, Ron and Dora. None of them were there at the moment. It pricked his curiosity. Normally, at least one of them was always there to keep an eye on HIM! 

What was so important that they had totally forgotten the resident Death Eater/Auror on staff? Then it struck him! Granger! He reached out and caught the letter as the owl flew by again. It was from St Mungo and had ‘Pertaining to Granger-Goldstein’ written across it. His spy at the hospital had come through for him! Thorfinn had told them all months ago that he had deliberately tried to impregnate Granger! She would have to go to St Mungo, sooner or later. Unless she tried to either go it with a midwife and home delivery or went to the Muggle world to have her child! He opened the note. They were there now, getting her scan done! 

He stood up and headed for the lift. He knew Dolohov and Rowle would be in the Atrium, waiting for him to get off work. He waited impatiently as the lift paused at the Minister’s floor, then came on down. He rose up to the Atrium and showed the letter to Rowle. The young man jumped up eagerly. They set off for the nearest Floo, unaware they had just missed their targets. 

Once at St Mungo, they quickly found the healer who had examined Hermione. She smiled and held out her hand. Without having to ask, she asked. “Mr. Rowle? Please follow me.” She collected the file she had just put away. She led the way down to her office. “First of all, Mr. Rowle, I think you need to see the report of the scan. I hope you don’t mind knowing the sex of your child before it’s born.” 

Rowle sat down to read the report. She was healthy, so Goldstein was taking care of her. She’d looked slightly tired. He frowned at that until the healer told him, “Your child was very active during the scan. It’s the most active one I’ve seen in a while. No doubt, she’s having difficulty finding comfortable sleeping positions. Also she’s very slightly built and the child is going to be at a very healthy birth weight. She might even have to deliver early if the fetus gets too big.” 

He looked down at the line stating the sex of the child. “Boy. It’s a boy? She’s having a boy? My son?”

The healer smiled at the dazed look on his face. “Yes. Congratulations, Mr. Rowle. It’s a boy!” 

Her smile faded as she remembered the rest of the contents in the file. “Mr. Rowle, I’m sorry. They had the paperwork already filled out and signed when they got here.”

“Paperwork? What-?” Rowle looked down and saw the word adoption. Without looking at the rest of the document, he exploded. “SHE’S PUTTING MY SON UP FOR ADOPTION?!” 

Yaxley grabbed the papers as Dolohov jumped in to calm the young man down. “Whoa, Thor! Calm down, now! You have to calm down!”

“No, Thorfinn, she’s not! Goldstein is adopting him. Look, they’ve left you a custody agreement as well.” Yaxley sat down and held the papers up to show him. “Look. Adoption papers filled out and signed, stating Goldstein will be his LEGAL father! This one, a custody arrangement! More than likely, Goldstein has told her she wouldn’t be able to cut you out of your son’s life.” 

Rowle leaned back, grabbing his hair and closing his eyes. ‘Damn, she’s gone again!’ He listened to Yaxley questioning the healer. As it turned out, she didn’t know where they were going afterwards but she knew they’d been headed to the Ministry after her appointment. They’d had an escort of four Aurors and a werewolf. Rowle and Dolohov both swore as they remembered SEEING Remus Lupin, crossing the Atrium with a group of people! They’d just missed them!

“Don’t you worry, Thor, I’ll find out where they’ve gone.” Yaxley assured him. All he had to do was watch the Chosen One. He knew she wrote to both of them. But, it was Harry who received most of it. All he had to do was intercept a note to the boy who lived and he’d have their location! 

Hermione and Anthony activated the Portkey. One minute they were in Britain. Then next minute they were in the office of Minister of Magic in the US. He greeted them jovially, having known to expect them. He welcomed them to America and invited them to enjoy the awesome energy that was New York. They thanked him and walked out of the Ministry. 

They both stared wide eyed all around them. “Anthony, do we HAVE to go straight to West Virginia?” Hermione whispered. 

“No. No, we don’t, especially as HE took so long getting back to us! I take it you want to stay here for a while?” Anthony tightened his arm around her shoulders. Hermione nodded in confirmation.

They walked until they came to a hotel with vacancies. They paid for a month long stay. Then they went out and started exploring. They enjoyed the park. They explored the museums and art studios. They visited the zoo and fed the baby animals. Anthony took her to a different Broadway show and nightclub every night. Finally Anthony found a magical hospital and took her for her next scan. They both delighted in the sight of the baby boy, rolling and tumbling in her womb. Anthony convinced her to let them send a report back for Rowle. 

“Listen, sweetheart. Let them send him a report. All he’ll know is that we’ve been in New York. He won’t know where to look and we’re leaving in the morning.” Anthony persuaded her. 

“Ok, ok. We’ll send a report for him.” Hermione gave in once she conceded that he was right. They were leaving on the morning train and Rowle would still have no way to find them. 

Anthony had the hospital administer to send the report to Corban Yaxley. He wasn’t sure why he did it but he stuck in a note with the name of the little remote community they were going to be living in. He didn’t tell Hermione that he’d just handed their location over to Rowle. She would have pitched an almighty fit!

The next morning, they boarded the train and rode down to West Virginia. They found a motel and stayed the night. The next morning they rented a car and drove to the remote little community where their banker resided. 

“Millville.” Hermione said. She knew she didn’t like this place as soon as she set eyes on it. For Anthony’s sake, she would give it a chance. 

Anthony looked around the gloomy, little town and wasn’t too happy, either. They drove to the bank and parked. He came around and helped her out of the car. They went in and asked to speak to Thaddeus Miller, the banker they’d been dealing with. Mr. Miller turned out to be a nervous, twitchy man who blanched when he saw them. “Mr. Goldstein? We expected you a month ago.”

“Well, my wife and I landed in New York and decided to stay a while before we came on down. She’d never seen a Broadway show before. I couldn’t drag her away before then.” Anthony laughed. 

“Yes. Well, I suppose you’re here for your paperwork. I have it right here.” He picked up an envelope and handed it to them. “Your house is outside of town, of course. You go straight out and take a left, oh wait! A right?” he appeared to think about it for a moment. “No, a left. It should be right there just off the road.”

He shook hands with them and stood at the door, watching sorrowfully as they drove out of town. “I’m sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Goldstein. So very sorry.” He whispered under his breath. Then he sent his teller home for the weekend. He locked the front door, went into his office, picked up the phone and dialed. A raspy voice answered.

“They’re on their way.” Was all he said. “When do I get my wife and daughter back?”

The raspy voice replied. “So sorry, Mr. Miller, but yer wife and daughter be dead. You shoulda got ’em down here a month ago, like ye promised.” The phone went dead. 

Thaddeus Miller was in shock. ‘Dead? They, they were dead?’ He sat down heavily, opened the drawer on his desk and drew out a pistol. He stuck it in his mouth and blew his brains out. He wouldn’t be discovered until Monday when his teller came back to work.

Anthony drove out of town with Hermione watching for their house. They came to a fork in the road. “Did he say left or right?” 

Hermione thought back. “He didn’t seem too sure. At first he said left, then changed it to right. Then he finally decided on left.”

“Hmm, there’s a store there. Let’s stop and ask them.” Anthony said. 

He stopped and got out. There was an old man sitting on the porch in a rocking chair. “Hey, I’ve just bought a home in the area. Do you know if there’s a house further up this road?” the old man stared at him, then Hermione. 

“Dead end, just past that curve. You need to go back. The road on the left is where your house will be. Here, take a couple peppermint sticks for the little missus. My wife swore by ‘em.” The old man held out two peppermint sticks to Anthony. He took them, saluted the old man and got back in the car.

“Compliments of the old man. His wife ‘swore by them.’” He chuckled as Hermione blushed lightly. 

The old man watched as the car turned around and went up the wrong road. He smiled in satisfaction. His brother would be pleased with the little brunette he was sending his way. He’d be especially pleased that she was ‘in the family way.’ 

They drove until they came to a rockslide. Anthony stopped the car and frowned. Hermione was suddenly shivering with fear. “Anthony, I don’t like this. Let’s go back to town. Please?”

Anthony nodded. He looked over his shoulder to back up the car and turn it around. They turned around and came back down the road. As they rounded the first corner, there was a loud pop as the front of the car jerked from side to side. Anthony slammed on the brakes as the car slid into the shallow ditch. “Hermione! Hermione, are you ok, baby?”

Hermione was clutching her stomach. “Yes. Yes, it was just a Braxton Hicks. That’s all. I’m alright.” She looked out at the ditch. “I don’t think we can say the same about the car, though.” 

Anthony climbed out to look at the damage. Both front tires were not only flat but shredded. “Looks like the tires are goners. I don’t think we’re too far from the main road. Do you think you can make it?”

“Yes. I can. I’m not staying here by myself.” Hermione opened her door. Anthony took her hand as they started walking. 

“Too bad we didn’t bring our camping gear.” He said. She wrapped her arm around him. 

“Actually, we did.” She teased him as she held up her reliable little beaded bag. “I’m just not sure if I’m brave enough to camp out HERE!”

“Well, if we can’t make it back to the main road-.” Anthony shrugged his shoulders and left the rest unspoken. They were both tense and trying not to show it. They couldn’t walk too fast for fear of wearing Hermione out. But it soon became clear they were not going to get to the main road tonight. 

He began surveying the sides of the road. Soon he had spotted a small clearing. “I know you don’t want to camp out here but you’re getting too tired to walk and it’ll be dark soon.” 

Hermione sighed with resignation. “Ok. I guess it won’t hurt, just this once.” She didn’t want to tell him but she’s been having more pains as they walked. She shuddered to think she might be in active labor and stuck out in the woods!

They got the tent set up and he sent her in to lay down while he built a fire and fixed them some food from her beaded bag. She took her wand out of its holster and put it in the bag, sitting by the door. Then she laid down and covered up, trying to will her body into relaxing. 

Anthony was collecting firewood when he had the sensation of being watched. He stopped moving as he listened. He cautiously turned in a full circle. He couldn’t see or hear anything. Not even wild life, he realized with a start. He jumped as he was suddenly surrounded by wild cackling. ‘Hermione!’ he thought wildly. ‘Got to get Hermione out of here!’ 

For the first time since leaving Britain, he regretted letting them take the tracking device out of Hermione’s wand. ‘Please, Merlin! Let Rowle be on our trail!’ he raced back to the clearing. Just as he stepped foot into it, he felt a sharp pain in his back and chest. He looked down in horror at the spear that had just pierced his body. He went to his knees as he looked up into the deformed face of a crazed mountain man. Then he heard a bone chilling sound. It was a high, piercing scream from the tent!

Hermione jerked awake as another pain tore through her. She became aware of a huge shadow over her. Her first thought was, ‘No! Rowle! He found us!’ she looked up and almost fainted. ‘Oh, Merlin! This was SO much worse than Rowle!’ a huge mountain man stood staring at her. He grabbed her hair and slung her off the bed. She was horrified to feel herself land on her stomach! She tried to Accio her bag but wasn’t able to summon it in time. She screamed in fear as he again grabbed her hair, pulling her out of the tent, screaming and crying. 

At the fire, she was greeted by the sight of Anthony pierced by a spear and bleeding out in front of her! There was an old man there. When he saw the huge man dragging Hermione, he picked up a flaming piece of wood and threw it at him. “Let ‘er down before ye kill ‘er and that babe! I didn’t come here to catch me a pretty daughter fer you to kill ‘er, ye halfwit!” 

“Hermione, Hermione! Rowle will find you! Don’t worry! Rowle will find you! Stay with him! Let him take care of you! Please, Hermione, promise me!” Anthony begged her in a low whisper. Sobbing, Hermione promised him. She screamed in despair as he fell to the ground, dead. 

“Well, little missy. Looks like I lost me a son but still gonna have a daughter and a grandbaby. Ye wouldn’t happen to know if it be a boy or a girl?” the old man leaned towards her. She refused to answer. He backhanded her. She pitched to the ground too quickly to stop herself from once more landing on her stomach. 

“When I ask ye a question, missy, I ‘spect to git an answer! Now! Boy or girl?” he repeated. 

“Boy.” She sobbed into the dirt. She screamed again, this time in pain as she curled over her stomach. She knew now she was very much in active labor! She was in so much pain, she didn’t realize she’d been picked up and carried through the woods. They came out at a cabin. Several women ran out, gibbering excitedly over her. The old man motioned them back in the house. They laid her on the table just as she had the urge to start pushing. 

“Bear down, missy, bite this.” He stuck a leather belt between her teeth. As she bit down, muffled screams escaped her. There was a sudden pinch as she bore down once more. “Again, missy, again, you’re doing good.” 

There was a hard pressure that felt like she was being torn in two. With one more painful push, she heard a thin, tiny wail. ‘Her baby!’ she looked up to see one of the women handing a tiny bundle to the old man. He looked down and said. “Well, lookee here. I gots me a pretty grand boy.” He looked at Hermione. “Don’t you worry, missy, ain’t nobody gonna touch you. Next hunt, we be on the lookout fer a good, strong big boy fer ye. You gonna have me some more pretty grandbabies, you gots to have a pretty boy to breed with!”


	6. Thorfinn, Hermione, Thorfinn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorfinn vents his rage, Mulciber gets beaten up AGAIN, chaos is created, Yaxley gets a report and the dark lord gives Yaxley, Dolohov and Rowle a special mission. The prey is chosen! The trap is baited!
> 
> A/N: Anthony’s death was not the death I had originally planned. It was supposed to be much worse but he’s been so sweet, loving and protective of our Hermione, I just couldn’t kill him off that horribly. Instead I gave him a relatively quick death! With that thought in mind, let me just say,,,,. Also let me just point out for Thorfinn, he has no clue that Anthony is already dead! Nor does Hermione have a clue that Anthony gave away their location!
> 
> MAJOR TRIGGERS! MAJOR TRIGGERS! NON GRAPHIC RAPE! (not Hermione!) GRAPHIC VIOLENCE! (partially Hermione) MIND THE WARNINGS!!!! These will start with Hermione’s P. O. V!!!

Thorfinn gritted his teeth as he stared at the two documents trying to separate him from his child. He made a vow. Once he got his hands back on Granger, he was going to put her in a tower and never let her go. He would have the only way in or out! She’d never leave him again! As for that damn Anthony Goldstein, he’d stomp his arse so far into the ground, he’d never get back up! He vaguely heard Yaxley talking. He reluctantly listened to what he was saying.

“Thorfinn, listen to me! By adopting him, Goldstein has just declared him the official heir of his line! I heard from Draco that Anthony had a childhood Muggle illness that left him unable to father a child. He’s just taken on the responsibility of helping Granger raise your child. I’m sure Granger would never have thought of him adopting the child. Nor would she have thought of a custody agreement with you. Don’t you see? Anthony, in his own way, is trying to keep you in the loop!” Yaxley tried to help Thorfinn see a clearer picture. 

“I want to be the one helping Granger raise my child! Damn it, he’s MY son! She’s,” he took a deep breath. “She was going to be MY wife. I had her hooked! A few more days and she would have been more than ready to marry ME!”

“Listen. At least she’s going to let you see your son. I’m very sure that was Goldstein’s idea. On her own, she would have kept him away from you. I know it’s not much but take what she’s willing to offer right now. Later on, after the boy gets older, you can renegotiate the arrangement. Make her an active participant. Make sure she HAS to talk to you. Given time, you might even talk her back into your bed for a second child, aye?” Yaxley teasingly popped him on the shoulder. 

Thorfinn finally calmed down enough to realize they were still in the healer’s office. He bent forward and leaned his elbows on his knees. “So I SHOULD sign them? Let the adoption and custody thing go through? Just for now?”

“Just for now. Once she realizes that you’re going to cooperate, she might even let him bring her back over here. Just give her some time to think about it, yeah?” Yaxley could see he was finally getting through. Thorfinn was willing to give the witch her space. The boy nodded and signed the papers with no further argument. 

They left the hospital and went straight back to the Manor. The Dark Lord called them into the study and questioned them about Granger. After giving their report, he announced they were stepping up their reign of terror. If that didn’t get Harry Potter out of hiding to face him, he didn’t know what would.

To that end, Yaxley, Dolohov, Rowle, McNair and Mulciber were sent out to rain down bloody hell on select Wizarding villages and communities all over Britain, Scotland and Ireland! At one point, he even had them razing villages set along the coast of France. Rowle lived up to his Viking heritage as he set fire to every house, barn and business he came into contact with. McNair and Mulciber were right behind him every step of the way, laughing gleefully as they hexed and cursed every witch and wizard they met. Yaxley and Dolohov rolled their eyes as they rode herd on the three hellions. 

The campaign of terror had a twofold purpose. It got the attention of Harry Potter AND kept young Rowle from dwelling too much on his young witch. Not to say it was entirely successful but for the next three months or so, Rowle was too busy setting fires and battling the Aurors to worry about trying to get his witch and his son back. 

Once again, the Dark Lord and Harry Potter faced off! By this time all of Voldemort’s Horcruxes were long gone. He and Potter were equally matched and the damn boy just WOULDN’T DIE! Harry Potter was equally frustrated. This damn wizard had been terrorizing the Wizarding world for over twenty years now! Why was he unable to KILL him?! They fought it down to a draw until, once again, both wizards were forced to withdraw and lick their wounds. 

Back in Malfoy Manor, they were all sitting around the drawing room. Voldemort looked around, assessing their conditions. Mulciber, he noted, was black and blue. McNair was sniggering at him and Rowle was glaring at him. There was a peck at the window. A tired looking owl was toting a bedraggled looking letter. Come to think of it, this same owl had been following them around the past two months! When allowed into the room, it flew straight to Yaxley and held out its leg.

He took the envelope with a cocked eyebrow. Looking at the letter, he saw it was sent from a magical hospital from the US. He wondered why HE was getting a letter from there. As far as he knew, he had no acquaintances or relatives over there. He tore open the letter curiously. Dolohov was reading the letter over his shoulder. They both went slack jawed at the same time, looking up at Rowle! 

He frowned at them. ‘What the bloody, fucking, hell were they looking at HIM for? What had he done NOW?’ Yaxley slowly rose and took the letter to Voldemort, nodding at Rowle. Voldemort read the letter through and also looked at him. Rowle began to feel very uneasy as EVERYONE turned to look at HIM! ‘What the bloody FUCK was going on with them?!’ 

“I have a very important announcement to make. It involves someone very special to our young Rowle.” Voldemort proclaimed. He watched Rowle straighten alertly.

Rowle’s mind was racing. The one special one was his mother! ‘Had something happened to her?’ Then his eyes widened as he realized there WAS someone else special to him! Granger! ‘What the bloody hell was going on with Granger?!’

“As we all know, Miss Granger was a guest of Mr. Rowle not too long ago. I have here, a report. A scan of Miss Granger’s unborn son, the son of Mr. Rowle.” The Dark Lord totally ignored Hermione’s married name. “At the time of this report, he was a very healthy seven month fetus. Which means that any day, there should be a report of a new Rowle heir. Have you heard from your mother, Rowle? Has your family tapestry changed to show the birth of your child yet?” Voldemort asked Rowle. 

Rowle suddenly remembered getting a letter from his mother not too long ago. He hadn’t bothered to read it as he was in the midst of wreaking havoc on a Wizarding farm not far from Hogsmeade. He pulled the letter out and ripped it open. It was dated two months ago! ‘Had they really been rampaging that long?!’ He quietly read the letter. Then he dropped it in shock. McNair, that sniggering co-hellion, reached across Mulciber and took the letter. 

“Dear Thorfinn,” it started. “As I was sitting in our tapestry room the other day, something interesting happened. Two new names showed up on our tapestry. A beautiful face belonging to a young witch named Hermione Granger-Goldstein. Have you been playing with the married ladies again, dear?” here McNair had to suppress a chuckle before he continued reading the letter out loud. 

“The second face was unexpected, to say the least. It’s a baby boy! Is there something I should know here? The child’s name appears to be a mix of your own and someone else’s name. Radnor Anthony Rowle-Goldstein. When do I get to meet my grandson?” he looked at the Dark Lord and shrugged before putting the letter back into Thorfinn’s hand. 

“Congratulations are in order! We have a new baby to celebrate!” Voldemort held up his hand for silence after everyone cheered for Rowle. 

Rowle was still in shock that he was actually a father now. His baby boy was born! But wait! He narrowed his eyes. ‘If the letter from his mother was two months ago?’ His face paled as he realized two months ago, Granger would just barely have sent that report! She must have given birth right after that! Which meant his child had been born premature! But the child had to have survived or his mother would have told him there was a death as well! He stood up and crossed the room. He knelt before the Dark Lord and waited. 

“I see you’ve drawn the same conclusion, Rowle. The child is born but we have no way to confirm his health. All we know is he is a living heir. He must be brought into the fold, he and his mother. Therefore, I am assigning you a very special mission. Go, young Rowle. Bring back your child and his mother!” Voldemort cast around to see which of his followers he would send with Rowle. 

Bellatrix was out of the question-she would want to torture Hermione and Rowle would kill HER. The Lestrange brothers were out-they would be eager to escape Bellatrix and might not bother to return. The Malfoys weren’t to be trusted-they would definitely run away and hide. 

It wouldn’t do to send Mulciber-from the looks of him, Rowle had already beaten his arse a couple more times. McNair, hmmm-no, better not risk it. They’d have too much fun wreaking havoc and forget the mission! He finally settled on the only two he KNEW had any type of control over the boy. They had both mentored him after all! Yaxley and Dolohov would accompany the young man to collect his woman and child.

“Yaxley, Dolohov. You will both go with him. The mission is quite simple: Bring back Hermione Granger and her infant son. Rowle, I suggest you write your mother. Tell her to contact Narcissa so they can start planning a wedding.” The implication was clear: Anthony Goldstein was not part of the picture! Rowle smiled coldly. He’d been waiting to get his hands on that damn Goldstein! Now approval had been given! 

The three men left before Rowle realized something. “Oi! How the hell are we going to find them? We don’t know where they are!”

“Yes. We do.” Yaxley handed him a piece of paper. There was three words written there. ‘Millville, West Virginia.’ The handwriting was not Granger’s. Yaxley had glanced at too many of Potter’s discarded notes to not recognize her signature. That was definitely Goldstein’s signature! For whatever reason known only to himself, Goldstein had handed himself, Hermione and the child over to Rowle! 

They went to the Ministry and obtained a Portkey before Potter was even aware they were there. By the time he and a group of Aurors showed up, it was too late. When he was told they had Portkeyed to America, Harry closed his eyes and swore! “They’ve found Hermione! They’ve gone after her!” 

Hermione’s P. O. V.-two months earlier 

MAJOR TRIGGERS! MAJOR TRIGGERS! NON GRAPHIC RAPE! (not Hermione!) GRAPHIC VIOLENCE! (partially Hermione) MIND THE WARNINGS!!!!

Hermione laid there in shock, pains still shooting through her body. She knew it wasn’t over yet. Her body still had to expel the afterbirth. “W-what? My, my baby! I want to hold my baby! Please, give me my baby!”

The old man looked at her coldly. “No, don’t think I will, missy. He be my grandson now. Ye give me more pretty grandbabies and ye might git ta hold ‘em.”

“No! No, I won’t! I want my baby! Now!” she blurted out. He leaned over the table and slapped her so hard, her head jerked to the side. 

“Ye’ll do wat I say, girl, or I’ll put ye in the barn. Yer a purty lil thang. Ye won’t last long in thar! I want more pretty grandbabies and YE’RE gonna have ‘em! If ye don’t, it’s the barn fer ye!” he poked at her, holding the baby firmly against him. 

She screamed once more as the afterbirth was finally pushed out of her body. The old man didn’t give her a chance to rest. He grabbed her hair, twisted it painfully around his hand and pulled her off the table. Hermione stumbled and almost fell as she tried to keep up with him. 

“Ye don’t wanna have babies? Lessee how ye like the barn, girl!” he dragged her outside, down the steps and across the yard. 

The big barn towered over them. Hermione could hear screams, both male and female. He waited as one of the women opened the door. Then he yanked her inside. She was horrified to see five beds inside. A girl was tied to each bed, screaming in terror as they were assaulted by the mountain men. On the other side, men were hung up by their hands as more men beat them with whips and ropes or stabbed them with machetes. 

One of the girls turned her head and saw Hermione. “Help me, please! Please, please, help me!” she begged. “Please, help me!” 

Just then, the man raping her, lunged down and bit her throat. As she screamed, it trailed off into a gurgle. Blood gushed as he ripped her throat open. Hermione screamed as she covered her mouth. Another girl screamed as the man attacking her began stabbing her at the same time. By the time he was done with her, she had bled out on the bed, her eyes staring lifelessly. Hermione’s eyes were gushing tears by this time. The old man watched her shrewdly. He turned and pulled her back out of the barn.

“Now, I’ll tell ye again! Yer gonna have me some pretty grandbabies or YE GO TO THE BARN.” He snapped at her. “Wat ye got ta say now, girl?”

Hermione sank down on her knees, crying with despair. She felt so helpless! If she only had her wand! Better yet, if she only knew wandless magic! “Ok, ok! Yes, I’ll, I’ll have you some pretty grandbabies! I will! I’ll have you some pretty grandbabies!” he smiled in satisfaction. 

“Good girl! Next hunt, we be findin’ ye a pretty boy!” he pulled her to her feet and took her back to the cabin. 

He led her to a rocking chair, sitting by an armchair. There, he finally allowed her to hold her baby. Hermione sobbed with joy at the feel of the squirming little infant. She counted his little fingers and toes. No bigger than he was, she could already tell he was going to have the same long slim fingers as his father. His little pouf of blonde hear stood up as if spiked. His blue eyes looked blindly at her as he began to root at her breast. She laughed softly as she held him close. 

She wasn’t allowed to hold him for long before the old man took him back. “Git in the kitchen, girl! Help yer ma with supper! Ye’ll git another chance next time the boy’s hungry!” 

Still painfully sore, but knowing it would cost her the chance of holding her baby if she refused, Hermione staggered to her feet and slowly joined the women of the clan. She was horrified when she saw the decapitated heads of the girls she’d seen die in the barn. She barely kept herself from throwing up. She was put in charge of peeling potatoes, to her immense relief. 

To her inner joy and total relief, she was given a tin of sausages to eat. It wasn’t much but at least she wasn’t being forced to eat human flesh! As the clan prepared to settle down for the night, she was locked into a small room with a cot, pillow, one blanket and a potty seat. That was it. It wasn’t the best place she’d ever slept. She knew she was lucky, though. He could have taken her out and tied her to one of the beds in the barn, Merlin forbid! As she was locked in and there were no windows, she was allowed to keep the baby with her. She intended to cherish every moment given to her. 

“Hello, baby.” She whispered softly to him. He had a little button nose and chubby cheeks. His little ears laid smoothly against his head. Though he had come early, he didn’t seem to be experiencing any breathing problems. Then she remembered that the last healer they saw had told them he was very healthy. In fact, she’d also told them if he got too big, he might come early anyway. 

“Your name is Radnor Anthony Rowle-Goldstein. Your legal father was Anthony Goldstein. Your biological father is Thorfinn Rowle. I’m your mother, Hermione Granger-Goldstein.” She quietly told him. The baby grizzled at her as he began to root around once more. She smiled as she nursed him again. 

‘Don’t you worry, baby. I don’t know how. I don’t know when, but I’ll get us out of here.’ She silently vowed to the child. ‘Anthony said your other father will find us, but I don’t know how. He has no clue where we are.’

The next morning, she was rudely awakened by the oldest woman, kicking her awake. The old man again took Radnor away from her and put her to helping the women in the half dead vegetable garden out back. The only times she was allowed to hold the baby were his feeding times. She was just thankful the she was also allowed to keep the baby at night. If there was a window to her room, she knew she wouldn’t even be given that time with him! 

That evening and every evening for a full week, she was forced to go to the barn and watch as the women and men they caught were raped, tortured and killed. The whole time they were there, the old man would threaten her, telling her this would be HER fate, should she try to escape or fail to give him more ‘pretty grandbabies.’ 

She finally gave up on the idea of escape after realizing there was no safe way to secure Radnor to her long enough for her to even try. Not without her wand, which was back in the tent she had been roughly dragged out of. Besides which, the old man seemed to realize that Radnor was the best way to control her. She was never allowed to hold him unless she was feeding him. It killed her to be this close to her baby and only allowed to touch him for ten minutes or so every couple of hours. She rejoiced every night as he was handed to her and they were locked into their windowless little room.

The men soon began bringing the males caught directly to the old man. She always found something to reject about them, even knowing that she was condemning them to death. Strangely enough, though, the old man was even pickier than her. He accepted her excuses with no question. He seemed to be on the lookout for a certain type of pretty boy. 

Pretty soon two months had passed. Hermione was now completely immersed in the backwoods life. After her clothes had literally fallen apart at the seams, she had been given a couple of ‘ma’s’ old castoff dresses to wear, never mind that they were too big. Ma showed her how to sew them tighter for a better fit. She was still given only one tin of sausages a day. That was her only meal. 

She also knew that the old man would get tired of her rejecting all the men brought to them. Sooner or later, willing or not, she was going to be forced to have sex with one of the male captives, in order to produce another pretty child!

Thorfinn’s P. O. V. 

After Yaxley, Dolohov and Rowle Portkeyed into the Ministry of Magic in New York, they didn’t waste a minute. Yaxley led them straight to the train station and they caught the quickest train to West Virginia. They signed into a motel for the night. Thorfinn showed the desk clerk a photo of Hermione and Anthony. Amazingly, she remembered them. ‘Yes, they had checked in a little over three months ago and spent the night. Then next morning, they had checked out and gone on to Millville.’ 

“They were here!” he exclaimed as he rejoined Yaxley and Dolohov in their room. He was excited to be on their trail. If they were this close, there should be no trouble dispatching Goldstein and taking his woman and child back to Britain! He conveniently ignored the thought of how Hermione would feel, being in the hands of her husband’s murderer! He was sure that she would be putty in his hands once more. 

The next morning, Yaxley rented a van. He explained that they couldn’t use any magic while they were here. If Thorfinn really went through with his plan to kill Goldstein, they would be caught and detained by Macusa if he used magic!

“I don’t need magic to kill him with my bare hands.” Thorfinn shrugged before hopping into the back of the van and chilling out on the floor. Yaxley drove and Dolohov rode shotgun. Thorfinn amused them on the way there as he recited all the things he intended to do to Anthony Goldstein before killing him, starting with, “Dear Anthony Goldstein, how do I hate thee? Let me count the ways. I hate your hands which, no doubt, have been all over my Granger! I shall take great pleasure in breaking them, one finger at a time, ending with your ring finger which I intend to grind into dust!” 

Once they reached Millville, they immediately noticed the same gloominess which had spooked Hermione and Anthony. Both Yaxley and Dolohov were starting to have a very bad feeling about this. They left the van and entered the café to get a bite to eat. They would then start the search. 

If they intended to find them, the first place to start would be the bank where they had purchased their home. Once they finished their meal, they headed for the bank. Halfway there, they stopped in an alley. Yaxley and Dolohov disillusioned themselves and allowed Thorfinn to do the talking. It turned out the teller also remembered the couple. They had spoken to her manager, then left. The manager had tragically but mysteriously killed himself that same day. Hermione and Anthony hadn’t been seen or heard from since then. 

When asked where they had gone, she gave him the same directions the manager had given Anthony. She also gave him a word of warning. “There are rumors of a clan, living up that way. A clan of cannibals. They’ve supposedly been up in these mountains for years. I don’t know. All I know is we’ve had hikers, locals and tourists alike all go up into those woods and they never come back.” 

Thorfinn thanked her and left. They got back to the van and sat there a moment. “Well, what do you think, Yaxley?” Thorfinn asked. 

“IF the rumors are true, it’s a good possibility that they ran into them. I’m sorry, Thorfinn, but you might want to brace yourself for the fact that she might be dead.” Yaxley told him.

‘NO! No! Granger is NOT dead! My child is NOT dead! The tapestry would say if they were dead!” Thorfinn insisted. The older wizards had to concede that point. They went into the hardware store. Yaxley and Dolohov each bought a sniper rifle and ammo. Thor was browsing around, not really paying attention to anything or anyone. 

An old man watched the young blonde a moment. He smiled evilly. He knew his brother had a certain type he was looking for. The baby had lost his first hair and it had already grown back in. His eyes had remained blue. He was a sturdy little blonde with ice blue eyes. His features were not yet defined but this youngster had the big, tall, sturdy look his brother was seeking. Not paying any attention to the older men who had entered the store with the boy, he approached him. 

“Be ye looking for a spot of fishin’? My brother got a lodge in the mountains. Got a pretty little hostess. She’s a real looker, brunette with brown eyes.” He told him. 

“Fishing?” Thorfinn frowned at him. The old man smiled at him. ‘Oh, this boy was perfect!’ 

“Yep. Ye know, that little hostess talks kinda like ye. Ye’d enjoy meetin’ her, I think.” The old man said, anxious to get the boy’s attention.

“Do I, ah, maybe. Let me look at the, uh, fishing poles right quick.” Thorfinn had intended to outright tell the old man to fuck off. Then he processed what the old man had said. The oldster nodded, in no hurry at all. Thorfinn moved to the fishing poles, conveniently located right beside Yaxley and Dolohov. The two had stiffened as soon as they heard what was said. 

‘Hostess? Female. Real looker? Granger was gorgeous. Brunette, brown eyes? It was sounding more and more like Granger. The kicker was when he said ‘she talks kinda like ye.’ It HAD to be Granger. That meant, if Granger was stashed away in these mountains, then his son was with her! It meant they were definitely alive! He wandered back to the old man.

“Can you take me there? I think I’d like to meet this little looker of a hostess. I’m very partial to brown hair and brown eyes!” Thorfinn told the old man who smiled broadly. 

“O’course. Foller me. My trucks jest outside. I got all the fishin’ gear ye need in the back.” Yaxley and Dolohov discreetly trailed them out of the store. They hopped in the van and followed the old man out of town. They slowed down, stopped and watched as the old man took Thorfinn up the wrong turn. The woman had said right. They went left!


	7. Proving his worthiness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yaxley and Dolohov set up camp to watch over Thorfinn. A surprising reappearance. A request granted. An unexpected weapon is found. Thorfinn is tested by the mountain men. Thorfinn meets his Granger and his son. 
> 
> A/N: Since the only characters consistently named in the movies were Saw Tooth, Three Finger, One Eye, Pa, Ma, Brother and Sister, I made up my own characters. Some of the chase scenes were based AROUND scenes from the movies. Others were scenes I made up myself. The snake scene is entirely my own, even though I am absolutely terrified of snakes. And that is the only spoiler you get, other than the summary. 
> 
> Majors triggers this time are graphic violence and Thorfinn’s potty mouth!

Thorfinn was beginning to regret turning his wand over to Yaxley. At the time, he’d agreed with Yaxley. He didn’t need magic to kill a man with his bare hands. Now, as he got closer and closer to where he hoped to find Granger and his son, he was seriously feeling naked without that wand! 

It had only dawned on him that the old man hadn’t mentioned a child nor another man, only the girl! The old timer hadn’t spoken since they left town. Plus, he’d turned left! Thorfinn had kept an eye on the rearview mirror and saw the van far behind them. It reassured him to know that Yaxley and Dolohov were close by. 

The old man pulled into a parking place beside a rundown store. Thorfinn frowned as he left the truck. The man started up a path leading into the woods. Seeming to sense Thorfinn’s unease, he turned back and held out a sheathed knife by the blade. “Here. Good ta have one of these handy. I gots ta show ye somethin’ afore we go to the lodge. Ye gots to see this ta believe it.” 

Thorfinn took the knife and fastened the sheath around his forearm. Now he was REALLY missing that fucking wand! They went further and further into the woods. He kept listening for sounds of wildlife, animals moving through the bush or birds chirping, something! 

The old man led him down a narrow path towards a small gully. Looking down, Thorfinn saw a tent set up in a small clearing. There was stuff scattered all across the clearing but he wasn’t close enough to see what it was. At what seemed to be the narrowest point, he stumbled as he nearly slipped off the path. Before he could catch his balance back, he felt hands shove against him as the old guy pushed him off the path! ‘BOODY FUCKING HELL!’ He tumbled down the bank and rolled to a halt in the clearing! 

Yaxley and Dolohov pushed the van off the road, covering it with tree branches. They grabbed their own camping gear, guns and ammo and started off toward where they had seen the truck turn in. They were just in time to see him hand off the knife to Thorfinn. They quickly took a parallel path to where the two were walking. 

They were separated from them by a stream. They crossed the stream and climbed up onto an overhanging bluff. They looked across the stream, seeing the clearing Thorfinn had just been shoved down into. They quickly set their tent up and Dolohov was confused by the second tarp Yaxley had bought. 

“Corban, what’s this one for?” Dolohov held the tarp up. Yaxley smiled and motioned him to bring the tarp and his gun.

“Come on, Antonin. We got an excellent view of that side. I’ll show you why the second tarp.” He and Dolohov laid down at the edge of the bluff, aiming their guns across the way. They centered their sights on the young blonde as he sat up, shaking his head. 

Yaxley let the sunlight hit the telescopic lens. Thorfinn jerked his head around and Antonin also flashed his lens at him. Thorfinn instantly smiled as he registered their presence still close to him. Yaxley pulled the tarp up and covered himself and Dolohov, leaving only the very tips of their gun barrels visible. 

After seeing where his friends were, Thorfinn slowly stood up and looked around. He froze as he looked down at the sight of dead men and women. That’s what he’d seen! He walked between bodies piled around the clearing. He could see where some of them actually looked like they had been eaten off of! ‘Dear Merlin! And the Muggleborns actually thought the Death Eaters were bad!’ 

As he neared the unlit campfire, he saw one corpse laying by itself. It was mostly clothed and looked mostly undisturbed. Curious as to why, Thorfinn walked around to see it from the front. He instantly felt like he’d been hit with a Crucio! He was looking down at the corpse of Anthony Goldstein! He sank to his knees beside him. ‘FUCK! All this time, he’d been cussing this boy up and down, listing all the ways he was going to KILL him and the boy was already dead!’ He reached out, rubbing his hand down Anthony’s face, closing his eyes. His own eyes closed in sympathy after seeing the spear still embedded in Anthony’s body. 

“No time for that, Thorfinn! Get your wand ready! You’re going to need it to save her!” his eyes flew open and his jaw dropped. He jerked back in surprise. Before him knelt the ghost of Anthony Goldstein! “C’mon, now! None of this, Thorfinn! You’ve seen ghosts before! Hogwarts, hello? What took you so long to get here? I was almost about to give up on you! I’ve been counting on you to get here! She needs you, Thorfinn! Don’t pass out on me now. They’re on their way!”

“Who is on their way? Wait, you, you’ve been waiting for me! What’s going on here? Bloody hell, man!” Thorfinn stammered. 

“Yes, I’ve been waiting for you! How the hell do you think Yaxley knew where to bring you? I sent him that note. Don’t ask me why, I really don’t KNOW why I did it! I’m glad I did but, damn, man! Did you have to take so bloody long getting here?!” the ghost complained. 

“After we missed you at St Mungo, the Dark Lord sent us out on a three month mission to raise holy hell! Did pretty good, if I do say so! He and Potter tried to kill each other again! Didn’t work! They’re both still alive!” he told the ghost. 

Anthony rolled his eyes. “Bloody hell! Why don’t those two just give it up and shake hands?! Damn!”

Thorfinn shrugged and raised his hands. It was beyond him why the two kept trying to bloody kill each other!

“Your wand, Thorfinn, get your wand ready! The mountain men are on their way! You’re going to have to fight your way to her and fight your way back out!” Anthony instructed him. 

“I, uh, don’t have my wand. Yaxley has it.” Thorfinn cringed under the stern look Anthony sent him. 

“WHY does Yaxley have your wand?” he crossed his arms and stared at the Viking wizard!

“Because he was afraid I’d accidentally try and use magic to kill you?” Thorfinn posed his own question. It was the first time he’d ever had a ghost roll his eyes in exasperation at him!

“Fine! But you’re going to need something more than that knife!” Anthony said. Thorfinn looked down at the spear. Anthony nodded. “Yeah, the spear will work.” Thorfinn pulled the spear free from the corpse. “Listen. How good are you at Transfiguration?”

“My grade stayed somewhere between A and E at school. Why?” Thorfinn watched the ghost staring down at his own body. He had an inkling of what the next question might be.

“Can you try to Transfigure my body? Take it home to Britain?” Anthony asked quietly. “I know where there’s a wand. They didn’t take it the night they killed me and took her.”

“What if her wand refuses to work with me?” Thorfinn asked. Anthony lifted his head. 

“It’ll work for you.” Was all he said. Thorfinn went to the tent, stepping inside. Almost immediately, he could smell a very faint trace of Hermione. He followed his nose to the one bunk that was still messed up. He picked up the pillow, holding it to his face. ‘Strawberries!’ His Granger had definitely slept here. He hugged the pillow close. ‘Damn, he wanted her in his arms so badly!’ 

“Heads up, Thorfinn! There will be plenty enough time for that when you reach her! They’ll be here anytime! You got to be ready!” Anthony scolded him. Thorfinn rolled HIS eyes at the ghost. He found the little beaded bag Anthony wanted. He opened it and reached his arm in. 

The wand was the first thing he felt. He pulled it out of the bag. For the second time in nine months, he held Hermione Granger’s wand in his hand. There was a faint stirring of power in his fingers. Goldstein was right. He wasn’t sure if it was because he’d slept with Hermione or because she’d carried his child while using the wand. But the wand was willing to work with him! He went back out. On impulse, he turned and took down the tent, stuffing it into the bag. He stuck the beaded bag into his pocket after shrinking it down. 

Then he walked back to the campfire. He pointed the wand at the body, closed his eyes and concentrated on getting the spell right. He chanted the words, felt the surge of power and opened his eyes. A gold galleon lay there in place of Anthony Goldstein. He picked it up, held it in his fist and chanted another spell, one he’d picked up from Yaxley. He opened his hand and there was Goldstein’s face on the coin. He looked at the ghost. “This will allow you to leave here with me. You’ll travel inside this coin. FYI, you just became my newest mentor. I’ll need someone to keep me talked down as Yaxley and Dolohov aren’t here at the moment.” 

“It’ll be my honor to mentor you. Just remember, everything from here on out is for Hermione. I’ll help as much as I’m able but you will have the hardest job! Hermione will have her hands full, keeping the baby safe. YOU will be the one keeping both her, yourself AND the baby safe. There is your first challenge.” Anthony nodded at the group of mountain men who had just appeared from the woods. He faded into the coin. Thorfinn put the coin in his pocket and the wand into his own holster opposite the knife. 

He stared the mountain men down. Then he heard a voice. It was the old man again. “Be ye ok, boy?” he cackled. Thorfinn looked up. There was a second old man up there. It looked like he was holding a baby! ‘Was that his son?’ The old man spoke again. “This be my brother and his grand boy, Pretty Boy! Pretty Boy gots this purty lil mama, Missy. Her needs a man. Ye gots to make it all the way to Missy. She be over thataway. Git her untied off that tree and ye might git lucky enough to be that man. Course, ye gots to make it through my brother’s other boys. They be mighty mean! Ye time starts now!” 

At that, the biggest mountain man let out a loud whoop and they all rushed Thorfinn. He scrambled up the bank into the trees. There was a faint path that suddenly disappeared. ‘DAMN!” He barreled through the bushes and ducked branches as he tried to figure out where he needed to go. He suddenly burst onto another clear path. 

He was instantly suspicious of it. He ran along, keeping a sharp eye out for traps. He barely saw the trip wire in time to jump over it. He could hear a cackling behind him. He tripped and fell, coming face to face with a rattlesnake! The snake coiled up, hissing and rattling angrily. Thorfinn eased a hand forward. Just as the snake struck, he caught it behind the head! It was the fastest the young wizard had ever moved! He could hear more rattles from under the leaves behind the snake. He eased up, still holding the angry serpent behind the head and preventing it from rattling. 

He flattened himself to the tree and waited. The bird beaked man ran past him. Using the snake as a whip, Thorfinn swung it and the snake struck out at the man. Bird beak screamed as he tried to get away from the snake. Thorfinn whipped the snake at him three more times, grabbed the front of his loosely fitting overalls, and stuffed the snake under them. He threw Bird beak into the nest of rattlers, listening to the man scream and flail around. Then he ran back the other way, doubling back on his own tracks. 

He came to a fork in the path. ‘Which way to go, which way? Damn it!’ An arrow thumped into the tree in front of him, making the decision for him. He ran down the left fork while another mountain man cackled behind him. This one might be one of the bowmen. If he was, then he’d better prepare to lose his weapons! He stepped on a branch, felt it give and threw himself to the side in time to avoid a pit! He looked down in it. There were sharpened stakes pointing up. He covered the edge back up after he ascertained the size of the pit. He could easily jump it, as long as he didn’t step on it again! He started back and yelled out. “Over here, you little bitches! I’m Thorfinn Rowle! Bring it on! Come at me!” 

The humped over mountain man came charging at him, snarling the whole way. Thorfinn turned and ran again as Humpy was joined by a one armed brother. They dogged his heels all the way down the path. He suddenly jumped, clearing the pit. They tried to stop as they seemed to remember the trap. Screams rose from the pit as they both fell in, impaling themselves. Thorfinn leaned in long enough to grab the bow and arrows from Humpy. “So long, bitches!” 

If he was remembering correctly, there had been ten men in the group. He’d just taken down three of them. That left seven more. He ran back to where he had met the rattler. Along the way, he picked up another pursuer. He removed the knife from it’s sheathe and dropped down long enough to cut the trip wire just as the man reached him. The log caught the big boy squarely on the side of the head, smashing him into the tree. One more down. 

Another one suddenly jumped in front of him and they had a fast and furious knife fight. It ended when he threw a kick and knocked the man’s leg out from under him. He swooped down, grabbed the other knife and was off again. Only five more to get past!

On the bluff, Yaxley and Dolohov were following his flight through the woods. They couldn’t help but be impressed as he dispatched the clansmen, one after another. Dolohov scouted on ahead of him and was the one who actually discovered Hermione was indeed tied to a tree. The old men were there, having taken a shortcut and beaten Rowle back. Dolohov zoomed in on the young witch. She looked terrified and desperate. The old man holding the child appeared to be taunting her. He mentioned that to Yaxley who zoomed in on her as Dolohov went back to watching Thorfinn. 

Thorfinn came to a relatively clear portion of the woods. No trees to duck behind or bushes to hide under. In the far distance, he could vaguely make out a cabin. ‘Was that where Granger was hidden?’ 

He kept the spear in one hand and the knife in the other. Worst came to worse, he’d beat the ever-loving fuck out of the next one he met! He raced across the forest floor as quickly as he could. Apparently the natives had found him again as he could hear whoops and hollers from behind him. He reached the other side of the clearing in time to avoid yet another trip wire. 

He swung between two trees and found himself in yet another fight. Again, there were two of them. One had a spear, the other a knife. Spear boy was trying to pin him to the tree. He let out a sudden yell and buried his spear deep in the man’s stomach. Knife boy took to his heels and ran off. “You think you’re getting away that easily, bitch?!” Thorfinn yelled as he threw the knife and sank it into the runner’s neck. 

He continued running. He’d gotten closer to the cabin. They’d said she was tied to a tree. All he had to do was untie her! Only three more fuckers to go and he’d have his Granger back! He could hear them once again on his heels. He unstrapped his knife and prepared for another fight! He chanced a glance over his shoulder. It was another little one. He slowed down deliberately as the little wanker drew even of him. Then he swung with all his force and sucker punched him, smiling as he heard bones crunching under his fist. He made it to the top of the hill and brought out the stolen bow. He readied an arrow and shot another pissant in the leg. One more arrow took a leg out from under the big whooper who had started the whole chase! 

He ran until he was in sight of the cabin. There, at the base of the steps, was a tree. Tied to that tree was his Granger! She had a gag on and was crying. Her eyes widened in shock at the sight of him. He slowed down and cautiously approached. On the porch, both old men were seated in rocking chairs, watching him approach. He kept an arrow ready to fly as he checked all around for more mountain men. There were none. He walked up to her. She was shaking with sobs, tears streaming down her face. He untied her and caught her as she dropped into his arms in a dead faint. He picked her up and carried her up the steps. 

“Well, lookee here, brother! He made it! Be he good enough fer Missy?” the old man asked. His brother, who kept rocking, surveyed Thorfinn silently. 

“Put ‘er down, there.” He slowly stood up. Thorfinn laid her down on the porch at his feet. The old man held out the baby. Thorfinn took the infant. “Wake up, girl, wake up!” the old man kicked Hermione. She gasped and sat up, babbling apologetically. “Quiet, now!” she fell silent as she looked up at Thorfinn. It was all he could do to keep from killing the old man for putting hands on her. He could tell this wasn’t the first time, either. She was entirely too obedient for that! “This be my Missy. That be my Pretty Boy. Ye be my Missy’s new man?” 

Holding up his hands, Thorfinn looked the old man squarely in the eyes. He pointed to his ring finger and said, “No. Not until she puts a ring on it!” Hermione’s eyes widened in shock as her jaw dropped in surprise.


	8. Marrying Granger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No triggers. The title explains the chapter. 
> 
> A/N: Next chapters will be Thorfinn’s ‘training’ as he works to get the old man’s trust enough to lose the shackles! As I said in the last chapter, I made my own cast of characters. Question for all readers who have actually watched the Wrong Turn movies: considering the way the main cast of cannibals reappeared time and again in the movies after seemingly dying in a previous movie, how many of my kills would you say were actual kills and how many actually survived? I didn’t name any of them yet. I’m going to name the survivors and they will be Thorfinn’s ‘trainers’. It’s also sort of needed as to how I end the story. I have an ending in mind but I need to know how many cannibals I’m ending with. This will affect how easy or hard it makes it for Thorfinn and Hermione to escape, fyi. 
> 
> Also, apologies for the short chapter. I figured a bit of fluff was needed before going dark again!

Hermione, seeing her baby in Thorfinn’s hands, had begun slowly inching up his legs. All she wanted was to touch her baby’s feet. She knew he would probably join the old man in keeping Radnor away from her. After all, ‘the man controlled the heir’ and Radnor was his heir. At his words, she looked up in shocked surprise. 

When Rowle had raised his hands, her precious baby boy came sliding smoothly into her arms. She quickly hugged Radnor close as she stared at Thorfinn. ‘Had he planned for that to happen? For her to be in that exact position, at that exact time in order to catch her baby? If he hadn’t, she was damned well going to give him a piece of her mind about how to hold a baby! He would regret nearly dropping their son! 

Just then, he glanced down at her, smiled and winked. Her surprise turned to curiosity. What was going on behind that handsome face? Then his words registered! ‘Put a ring on it? Put a ring on it! She was barely a widow for TWO MONTHS and he wanted her to PUT A RING ON IT?!’ She gritted her teeth as she glared at him. 

“By the way, my name is Rowle, Thorfinn Rowle. My friends and family call me Finn or Thor. Your choice. And you are?” Thorfinn asked the old man. 

“Grundy, Murphy Grundy. This be my brother Fred. He be the one wat sends prey our way. If ye be part of this clan, ye gots to be a hunter! Ye gots to learn how to stalk, set traps and capture live bait! Some of ‘em die in the traps, some of ‘em we bring back, we put ‘em in the barn an play wit ‘em.” Hermione shuddered at the mention of the barn. Thorfinn wondered what had been done to her in ‘the barn,’ He resolved to ask her at the earliest opportunity!

Murphy Grundy stepped back as he looked past Thorfinn. He glanced back and whipped around with the bow. There were several of the mountain men he hadn’t killed, limping toward the house! He readied an arrow and prepared to let it fly!

“Nah! No need fer that, boy! Ye be welcome now. Ye passed the test! Ye be one of my boys now! They knows that. They won’t mess wit ye!” Grundy told Thorfinn. He chuckled as his brother slipped a pair of leg shackles on him! Thorfinn looked down and swore as the other man brought the other end of the shackles up, fastening them around his wrists. 

He looked at Murphy, cocked a brow and raised his hands. “One of you, aye?” Murphy shrugged. Thorfinn turned away a brief moment, then turned back. “Ok. You’ll see. I’ll be the best hunter you’ve ever had.”

“Jest makin’ sure. Can’t have ye runnin’ off, leavin’ my purty gurl high-n-dry! Not if she’s gonna have more pretty grandbabies.” Murphy looked down at Hermione. He yelled inside the cabin. “Ma! Hey, Ma! Ye go hunt up a purty party dress. Find one fer Missy, too. Make it white. We’s gonna have us a weddin’ hoedown! Her’s gittin’ hitched. Fred, ye go hunt down that preacher man in town! Bring ‘em back!”

Fred left to go get the preacher, feeling proud of himself for finding his brother another son. He just hoped the boy didn’t try and take off, deserting that pretty little girl and baby boy. If that happened, his brother might very well kill them both! 

Upon the bluff, Yaxley and Dolohov were cussing! In unison, they yelled, “FUCKING HELL! THAT BLOODY LITTLE WANKER!” They glared through their scopes in disbelief.

“Did he just deliberately let himself GET CAUGHT?!” Dolohov wondered in stunned astonishment. ‘Surely not! What would the Dark Lord say if they came back without his best warrior?!’ 

“More to the point, did he just turn around, roll his eyes, wink and grin that cheeky little grin of his?” Yaxley growled in outrage.

Dolohov, who knew exactly where Thorfinn had picked both habits up from, wisely turned his head away. “Um, no! Nope! Didn’t see a wink or a cheeky grin!” 

“Hang on! Bloody hell! I’ve seen YOU do that before! Damn it! You taught him how to do that, didn’t you?!” Yaxley accused. Dolohov couldn’t help it. He had to laugh. Yaxley sounded so outraged!

“I’m sorry! I’m sorry but you should SEE your face right now!” he sputtered with laughter. 

Yaxley rolled his eyes at Dolohov, the habit that Thorfinn had picked up from HIM! “What the bloody, fucking, hell is that little wanker up to?” he wondered aloud.

“Dunno, but you can bet it had something to do with Granger.” Dolohov guessed. Yaxley sighed and rubbed his eyes. ‘Please, Merlin, whatever that boy was up to, please don’t let him die!’ 

As Grundy directed his wife and brother, Thorfinn knelt down beside Hermione. He loved the beautiful picture she made as she cuddled their child. She was still glaring balefully at him. He stroked a hand down her face and cupped the back of his son’s head. 

“So. We have a son.” he spoke low enough to keep the old man from hearing them. As if realizing his parents were talking about him, Radnor grizzled as he got hungry. He was wrapped in a shawl, one end of which Hermione loosened as she tossed it over her shoulder. She held him close as he nursed, stroking his blonde hair back from his face. “He’s beautiful, Granger. Thank you.”

She looked at him, puzzled. “What are you thanking me for?”

“You didn’t terminate him.” Thorfinn stared at the little boy.

“Of course, I didn’t. Why would I do that?” she shook her head at him in exasperation. 

He shrugged. “Well, I did kidnap you. Then I slept with you, without protecting you. Although, given enough time, I was planning to marry you. You and Goldstein jumped the gun and beat me to that point.” He slid an arm over her shoulder, pulling her and Radnor close. “But I think the old guy is about to help me correct THAT!” He whispered in her ear as he smiled in satisfaction. 

She jerked her head to look at him. “You are serious?! You’re really going to let him MAKE me marry you? My husband has only been dead for TWO MONTHS, Rowle!” she hissed angrily.

“Your husband would want me to take care of you, Granger, and my son!” he hissed back. She gaped at him. ‘How did he know that?! She was the only one who would know that Anthony had made her promise to stay with Rowle, let him take care of her!’ She watched as he stood long enough to withdraw a coin from his pocket. Without a word, he held it up. 

There, staring back at her, was her deceased husband! He smiled. “Surprise, darling! Don’t be scared. Rowle is going to get you out of there. Although, Rowle, I dare say, what happened? Why are you shackled?”

“Caught me off guard, the bastards! While I was preparing to fight, they slid the damn shackles on my ankles. The old guy thinks I’m going to leave here without her! Stupid! Why would I do that? But he doesn’t trust me yet. I’m to be trained as one of his ‘hunters.’ I’m part of the family, so he says. Oi, remember our agreement. I have a feeling I’m going to need a lot of calming words, Goldstein.” Rowle spoke quietly. He reached out and pulled off a piece of loose fabric from Hermione’s homespun dress. He muttered a sticking charm, attaching it to the coin, and tied the fabric around his neck. The coin fell just even of the neckline of the Muggle T-shirt that he wore. This way, Goldstein would be close by with words of advice at any given time. 

Just then, Grundy came back. Radnor had just finished nursing and was almost asleep in her arms. He took the baby from her, handed him back to Rowle and told Hermione. “Git in thar, Missy! Ma found ye a purty lil weddin’ dress! Git in thar and git changed! Soon’s Fred gits back, we’s gonna have us a hitchin’ and a hoedown!”

Hermione looked at Rowle, holding their child. She narrowed her eyes at him. “Please try not to drop MY baby again. He’s very precious to me!” she snapped. He grinned and tightened his arms around the child. She surely didn’t realize he’d planned for her to catch the baby! He’d seen her desperate glances at him while he approached the tree. He’d known there was something besides no wand holding her hostage in this hellhole. It was the only other reason that made sense. With her wand, she could likely have long escaped with the baby. Without her wand, she couldn’t protect the baby. Without the baby, she wasn’t going anywhere. That was why the old guy wouldn’t let HER have the baby! 

He sat on the swing and pushed it into a slow rocking motion. His child really was beautiful. He’d seen the ice blue eyes staring sleepily at him. He ran his fingers through the blonde hair. It looked like Radnor had inherited his coloring but he was going to have his little mum’s curls. He stood and turned the baby facing away from the cabin. He knew Yaxley and Dolohov were watching over them from afar. He wanted them to see his child. After standing there five minutes, he sat back down on the swing. He held the child on his chest and kissed the blonde curls. No matter how long it took, he was NOT leaving here without them! 

Yaxley and Dolohov were smiling as Thorfinn showed them his son. They both made solemn vows that they would help him get away WITH Granger and his child! Even if they had to go in with guns AND wands blazing, they would help Rowle escape with his little family!

Old man Fred came cackling back, dragging a terrified looking preacher with him. Thorfinn was introduced as the bridegroom. They settled down to wait for Ma to get Hermione’s wedding dress refitted to her. Thorfinn remembered the wedding robes she’s stared at in the window at Tattings and Twilfit. He’d gone back after her escape and bought the robes. As soon as they were back in Britain, he fully intended to bond with her in a Wizarding ceremony. The more bonds there were between them, the more inclined she’d be to WANT to stay with him!

Finally, Ma came to the door and announced that ‘Missy’ was ready to be hitched. The preacher stood up, facing Thorfinn as Hermione was escorted out proudly by old man Grundy. She was pushed into his arms as Radnor was taken by Grundy. The rings were little more than hastily found washers but they would serve the purpose for now. He would buy her a proper ring as soon as they were safely away. Watched over from afar by Yaxley and Dolohov, Thorfinn Rowle and Hermione Granger were married in a Muggle wedding ceremony. When it came time to kiss the bride, Thorfinn grinned at her mischievously and caught her within the circle of his chained arms. He dipped her backward as he kissed her and she squealed in surprise! 

Going by the way the boy was kissing the girl, Grundy whispered to Ma that they would have another ‘pretty grandbaby’ in no time at all!


	9. Baby making, wise advice and protection from afar

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorfinn’s wish has come true, now to get Hermione to cooperate. Anthony plays peacekeeper, offering wise advice. Thorfinn plans an escape as he works to lose the shackles! Yaxley and Dolohov watch over the lovebirds from afar. 
> 
> A/N 1: In case anyone wonders why the older wizards haven’t made a move to help, our (sweet, lovable, STUBBORN) Thorfinn wants to rescue them himself.   
> A/N 2: Names of cannibals have been decided. Basically they will be the names Thorfinn was thinking as he fought them on his way to Hermione. He will have five ‘trainers’. 
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS: VIOLENCE! Mention of past violence, beatings! Mind the Triggers!!

After the wedding, the old man came to speak to them. “Ye be starting yer trainin’ soon, boy! Ye git a few minutes wit’ Missy! Git to it, boy! We be waitin’ fer tha’ new babe. Pretty boy wants him a lil bruder or sissy!” 

Thorfinn didn’t need to be told twice. He scooped Hermione up in his arms and followed the old lady into the house. Hermione was squealing with anger and struggling in his arms. The old lady cackled as she pointed him to a different room than Hermione was used to. It was still windowless and not quite as small but there was a big bed against the wall and a potty seat in the corner, behind a curtain. Thorfinn closed the door behind him, took three steps and dropped her on the bed. Hermione scrambled away and bared her teeth at him. 

“Stay back, Rowle! Just stay away from me!” she snapped. He rolled his eyes at her. Just to satisfy her, he took three steps back. 

“Granger! We have to do this! They will kill us both if they don’t hear us doing SOMETHING! Then where will that leave Radnor? In the hands of cannibals, that’s where!” he tried to reason with her. 

“No, that will leave YOU dead! I’m sure they can find another ‘Pretty boy’ out there!” Hermione seethed at him. 

Thorfinn clenched his teeth. “There will be nobody but me touching you from now on, Granger!” 

“Don’t be so sure about that! If you displease them in any way, they’ll put you in the barn! That old man certainly threatened me with that enough times!” Hermione wrapped her arms around herself. Thorfinn slowly approached the bed with his hands spread out. Hermione watched him warily. 

“Granger? What did they do to you?” He sat down on the bed across from her. Now that he was closer, he could see faded bruises around her eyes and cheeks. “Granger, who has been hitting you?”

“They expect complete obedience. If you don’t move fast enough, you’ll be punished. If you drop anything, you’ll be punished. If you refuse to do something, you’ll be punished!” Hermione shuddered with fear. 

Thorfinn reached out slowly. Before Hermione processed how close he was, he’d grabbed her into his arms. He held her against him as she struggled to escape. Her muffled screams were heartbreaking to hear. He closed his eyes and swore vengeance on this whole clan for hurting and scaring his Granger so badly!

“Anthony! What do I do? How do I undo the damage they’ve inflicted?” he whispered, knowing the ghost could hear every word. 

“There’s only one thing you can do right now. Take her to bed. You’re already there. Undress the two of you and get busy! The old man doesn’t hear those bedsprings soon, he’ll be in here to see why! Once you have that done, then we can talk about how you’re going to escape!” the ghost was suddenly in front of him. “I’ll go keep watch. Get busy, Thorfinn! Now!” With that, Anthony floated through the wall to spy on the cannibals. Thorfinn rocked her as her screams slowly faded down into silence. He looked down into her wary brown eyes. Very carefully, he laid down, stretching out beside her. 

“Hermione? I’m sorry, sweetheart. I would have been here sooner but we didn’t get the letters in time. You have to know I’d never leave you in danger, especially not this kind of danger! I’m going to get us out of here! All of us, you, Radnor and me! I’ve got to plan it carefully but I WILL get us free!” he whispered into her ear. 

“Why are you here? HOW are you here? How did you know where we were? How did you FIND us? Did you TELL them to kill Anthony? Get off of me! GET OFF OF ME!!” she snarled, trying to get away from him. He sighed as he kept a good hold on her. This was going to be slightly more difficult than he’d planned.

He laid her hands on his chest as he kissed her. She was already terrified and he didn’t want to scare her anymore than she was. He rolled her to her back and knelt between her legs. He kept on kissing her as he pushed the dress up. He quickly paused just long enough to pull his T-shirt off, unfastened and pushed his jeans down enough to free himself, then resumed kissing her. Remembering how he’d gotten past her defenses the last time, he took his time exploring all her weak spots again. He could feel her slowly relaxing under him. He raised her up enough to pull the loose dress over her head. 

He looked down and had to fight the urge to clench his fists! There were more bruises littered down her body. Clear boot marks showed where they’d been kicking her around. She had rings of bruises around her arms where the old man and the women would yank her about. This, then, was what she meant by punishment! They’d been kicking and beating his witch! From the looks of her ribs clearly showing, they’d also been starving her! THE FUCKERS WOULD ALL DIE FOR THIS!!

“Thorfinn! Damn it! Get busy! The old man is about to come in here! Get those bedsprings squeaking! Now!” Anthony popped in long enough to hiss at him.

Knowing she would hate him for it, but unable to give her a clear explanation yet, Thorfinn kissed her and sank into her at the same time. The girl turned into a wildcat, biting, scratching and yanking his hair! Her muffled shrieks and cries broke his heart but he had to save them right now. He could explain everything later, when they had more time to talk. 

Anthony rolled his eyes and clenched his fists as he slumped in relief. ‘Damn! That had been a close call!’ 

He watched the old man sink back down into his chair, Radnor held against him. He could see the satisfied looks as they heard the activities from the bedroom. Evidently this was something quite a few of them had been waiting for. Remembering the old man’s words out front, he wondered if it was going to be as easy as Thorfinn was thinking, for them to escape from these people. Thorfinn was very strong and powerful but he was basically weaponless as he’d used both his knives and the spear getting to Hermione. The bow and arrows had been taken from him before the wedding ceremony. The only other weapon he had was Hermione’s wand which had been left alone as they thought it was just a stick! When it came time to make their attempt, it would be five of them against Thorfinn and Hermione! 

Curious about the little boy whose birth he’d missed, he drifted closer. The little boy he saw was a perfect mix of Thorfinn and Hermione. The Nordic coloring had come straight from his father and those curls were bound to be from Hermione! He saw the little boy was just trying to get the hang of holding his head up. He frowned in worry. The baby was silent and still on the old man’s chest, aside from trying to hold his head up. As he watched, he realized nobody was directly interacting with Radnor. It was as if the baby was merely an ornament decorating the old man’s shirt! 

Hopefully, that would change with both of his parents now in the picture. As if on cue, the bedroom went quiet as Radnor let out a loud cry of hunger. Anthony smiled as he listened. The child had definitely inherited his father’s lungs! The old man rose as the bedroom door opened. Hermione dashed out in Thorfinn’s T-shirt, it being the first thing her fingers had touched. Thorfinn followed behind her, fastening his jeans back. He didn’t seem too concerned about his lack of a shirt as he watched Hermione throw herself into the rocking chair, reaching for the baby with a pleading expression. 

The old man handed the child over and motioned at Thorfinn. He followed him out reluctantly. On the porch sat the surviving members who had chased him through the woods. “These be yer new brothers, boy!” he was told as the shackles were placed back on him. Evidently he was only to be free when he was with Hermione. That would change, though, as he gained the old man’s trust. He would work his way to freedom, get Hermione and the baby to a secure location, then he’d rein all hell down on this clan! Anthony was beside him, a calming hand on his shoulder.

He had to fight the urge to smirk as he stared challengingly at Butcher, Big Whoop, Little Shrimp, Long Nose and Spear Boy. He didn’t know their actual names and, frankly, he didn’t give a flying fuck about their real names! The fuckers would be dead soon enough! “Now, case ye was thinkin’ a hightailin’ it outta here, I gotta lil somethin’ in the barn ye need to see. Worked real good on gitting lil Missy hushed up!” the old man said to him.

Thorfinn’s attention snapped to the barn they were leading him towards. Inside, he was treated to the sight that had terrified Hermione. Girls chained to the beds, screaming helplessly as they saw the mountain men. Boys, hung up from the wrists, trying desperately to escape their bonds before their next beatings. The old man waved him towards the beds. “They be ready fer ye. Take yer pick.” Thorfinn stared at the chained girls, all begging for mercy. He wanted to free them but that would be his death.

“Pass them on to the brothers. Flatter him. Tell him he has the only girl you’re interested in. Make him think you’ll do anything else as long as he lets you stay with her.” Anthony told him. 

“I’m honored, father, I really am. But I’ll have to pass. I’m sure my brothers will enjoy them much more.” He looked at the old man. “I’ve just left the only girl you have that I’m interested in. I’ll do anything else for you but I won’t take another girl in her place.” The old man smiled, clearly pleased with his answer. 

He guided him to the other side of the barn. Looking at the hanging boys, he pointed at one. “Anything, aye? Ok, here’s yer next test, boy! This one here’s been givin’ a lotta lip!” he picked up a whip and a rope and offered both to Thorfinn. 

“The rope, Thorfinn! Take the rope! It’s thick and heavy. The right blow to the head at the right time will knock him out, then you can let one of them finish him. You still have Hermione’s wand on your arm. Stupefy him with the last blow. That way, he won’t feel it when they kill him. It’s the most mercy you can show him, Finn.” Anthony said. Thorfinn closed his eyes and prayed for strength. Then he reached out and took the rope.

Hermione cradled Radnor against her. The older he got, the longer he’d been nursing. She smiled at him tenderly as she stroked his soft little cheek. His blue eyes stared at her curiously as his little fingers curled around her finger. She lifted her finger and pressed a gentle kiss to his fingers. She tried to ignore the fact that she was wearing his real father’s shirt or that she was now married to his real father, incredible as it seemed. 

She thought back to the questions that had been swirling in her head since he’d shown up. How had he found them? She knew Anthony had sent the results of her scan to Yaxley. That should only have told them she and Anthony had been in New York! How had they traced them all the way down here? She didn’t think either of them had let slip where they were going next. She thought about everything that had happened from that scan in Britain to the last scan in New York. There was nothing, nothing at all, that she could recall that would have given their location away! Which brought her back to the question worrying her, how had Thorfinn known where to find them?!

Then she thought of something else! Anthony! The ghost of her late husband hadn’t seemed at all surprised at the sight of Thorfinn! Why was that? She thought back to THAT NIGHT. He’d told her Rowle would find her! How had he known that? Had he, Merlin! Had ANTHONY given away their location? Why would he do that?! He knew she wanted to stay away from Rowle! Why would he deliberately let the man who wanted his wife, know where they were going to settle down? They DID have some explaining to do, both a certain Viking wizard AND a certain ghost!

Radnor had finished nursing and the women hadn’t noticed yet. Hermione kept him cuddled against her to disguise the fact he’d finished eating. If they knew he was done, they’d take him away from her. She pressed the tip of her finger against her lips and kissed it. Then she brought the finger to tap on his little chin. He reached up and touched her lips with his palm. She held it there as she kissed it. He seemed to know he needed to stay quiet in order to stay with her. Finally the women noticed and did indeed take the baby away from her. 

Two of the younger women grabbed her arms and yanked her to her feet. They shoved her out the door, steering her towards the barn. She began struggling against their tight grips. “NO! NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING? I SLEPT WITH HIM! I SLEPT WITH HIM! JUST LIKE YOU WANTED ME TO!” She screamed in terror. They both began slapping and kicking her until she crumpled on the ground, sobbing quietly. The older woman grabbed her hair, dragging her back to her feet, and shoved her on toward the barn. 

The door was pushed open and she was shoved inside. She was so scared it took a moment to process the fact that she wasn’t being led to one of the beds as she’d feared. Instead she was being led to the men’s half of the barn, where the beatings were administered. The old man turned to watch her approach. He shook his head at seeing the new bruises already forming on her face. ‘Lil Missy was jest too stubborn fer her own good!’ Maybe with her new lil hubby here, she’d finally settle down. He checked on hubby’s progress. The boy was strong. He’d already almost beaten the troublemaker into unconsciousness. Hermione looked up then and registered who it was administering the newest round of beatings! Thorfinn! She gasped and shrank back in fear.

Thorfinn stopped as he heard that gasp. He looked around and found Hermione cowering away from him. He started to drop the rope until Anthony stopped him. “NO! Don’t stop! If you stop, it’ll be you strung up and beaten, Thorfinn! I’ll talk to her. You keep winning their trust!” He turned around and continued beating the young man. One or two more blows and he’d pop him in the head with the rope and the Stunner. 

Anthony was right. Strong as he was, at this point in time, if he tried to resist, he’d be signing both his own and probably Hermione’s death warrants. That would leave Radnor in the hands of these people and he wasn’t too sure Yaxley and Dolohov together could go against them enough to rescue the boy. He HAD to stay alive. For that, he had to do as much as he could to stay in the old man’s good graces. If that meant giving beatings, learning how to trap human prey and allowing his new ‘brothers’ the final privilege of killing them, so be it. Hopefully between them, he and Anthony could get Hermione to understand it had to be done this way!


	10. Helping Hermione understand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thorfinn and Anthony make Hermione understand the seriousness of their new situation. She discovers how he found them. Thorfinn neglects to tell her they have protection from afar. Yaxley and Dolohov decide on a timeframe for Thorfinn’s plan to work.

Thorfinn looked at the young man in front of him. One more blow would almost knock him out. This then, would be the perfect time to Stun him. He took a deep breath, readied himself and cast a nonverbal Stunner at the same time as he hit him in the head with the rope. The guy’s head snapped back as he abruptly dropped. Thorfinn turned towards the brothers and father Grundy. 

He looked at Big Whoop, offering him the rope. “Would you like to finish him off?” 

After gaining the permission of his father, Big Whoop and the others cackled happily as he snatched the rope away from Thorfinn. Old man Grundy smiled approvingly. ‘The boy was coming along nicely. Now if the girl would cooperate! Maybe, just maybe, she needed a little more motivation!’ 

“Come on, boy! Reward time!” he walked toward the door. Just after he passed Hermione, he stopped, held out his hand and yelled abruptly, “Missy, come here! Now!” Hermione jumped and squeaked in fright. She ran over and took the old man’s hand between her own hands. She stared fearfully at Thorfinn as he approached them. The old man led them out of the barn. As they reached the house, he abruptly shoved Hermione into the porch swing. 

“Ye git some courtin’ time wit’ Missy! Ye comin’ along good, boy, maybe ye can make ‘er be more obedient. I’d hate fer her to end up in the barn. We’d have to look fer another lil pretty fer ye!” he stared at Hermione, looked at the barn, then back at her. Hermione’s face went stark white. His implication was clear: Thorfinn was fitting in better. The old man might kill HER in favor of finding another girl for HIM. Thorfinn’s jaw was clenched as he stared at him. “Ma! Bring that boy out here!” the old lady brought Radnor and handed him to Thorfinn. 

He took the baby and sat down beside Hermione. She was huddled in the corner of the swing, staring desperately at Radnor. She knew better than to reach for him. The old man wouldn’t hesitate to backhand her for that infraction! He walked into the house after removing the shackle from Thorfinn’s wrist only to snap it around the arm of the swing. He’d had one hand free in the barn. Now both hands were free but he was still chained to the swing by his ankles. 

No sooner had he disappeared than Hermione found herself cuddling Radnor and sitting in Thorfinn’s lap. She tried to slide away from him but he pulled her closer. “Don’t! That’s what he’s talking about! You can’t keep resisting, Hermione! He’s going to kill you if you keep it up! I cannot,” he exhaled sharply, “I REFUSE to leave here without you!”

He tipped her chin toward him. “I know you don’t understand but I had to beat that boy in the barn! If I hadn’t, it would have been ME. That wouldn’t have done me or you any good! If I died, you and Radnor would still be trapped! Is that what you wanted? I’m going to have to learn how to hunt human prey! You realize this, right? If I don’t, I’ll never get out of these shackles! If I don’t get out of them, there is no escape for any of us! You have got to do your part! Please! Whatever you do, DON’T give him any reason to kill you!”

“He’s right, Hermione!” Anthony popped up beside them. “He had no choice! It was beat one of them or be strung up alongside them! You know they wouldn’t hesitate to put him up there, either. He’s going to have to prove himself to these people. He’ll have to hunt people down. The only thing he can control is handing the killing of them off to one of the brothers! For that, he can at least knock them out so they don’t feel themselves dying! It’s the only mercy he can grant them.” 

Anthony laid a hand on her shoulder. “And you have to become the perfect daughter. Finn will go insane if you get yourself killed! You think he’ll accept another woman in your place? After he went the length of insisting he had to marry you before he could make babies with you? You honestly think he’d want another woman helping to raise Radnor? No, Hermione. He wants YOU. You cannot get yourself killed!”

Hermione stared at the two of them, her deceased husband and her new husband. She closed her eyes and nodded. She cradled her baby tightly as she kissed the top of his head. It was time to get serious. Before she had been dragging her feet, knowing as long as the old man didn’t have his ‘pretty male’ to go with her, he wouldn’t do anything to her! Now, though, she was under the risk of death herself. From now on, she would need to become the perfect mountain daughter. That included no balking when they took Radnor away from her and sleeping with Thorfinn anytime the old man ordered it!

“Ok. What’s the plan? There is a plan, right?” she asked, staring at him hopefully. 

“The plan is to let them teach me all of their secrets. As long as I go along with most of it, I think he’ll let me keep passing the actual killing off to them. We’ll have to stay maybe a day or so longer after the shackles come off, long enough for their guard to drop. Then we run. I’ll get you to safety. Then they will rue the day they ever touched you!” Thorfinn told her in a very low whisper. 

To anyone watching, it would look like he was whispering sweet nothings into her ear as he soothingly rubbed circles on her back and stroked her leg. They would certainly never suspect the boy was planning to kill every last member of the clan holding them captive. 

Thorfinn shifted the baby to lay on his chest as he sat back, pulling Hermione with him. She quickly found out it was so he could hold the baby as he kissed HER! With Radnor securely nestled between them, he wasted no time rediscovering how much he loved kissing her. 

Anthony was again spying on the clan, trying to spot any weaknesses that he could pass on to Finn in aiding their escape. He noted the old lady had to keep slapping her daughters away from the open stove. They seemed to be fascinated by the fire. Knowing Thor’s special skill with fire, that might be the way to go with the daughters. The old man and woman were pretty rickety. They shouldn’t be too hard to wipe out. 

The brothers, though, there lay the problem: the five remaining brothers. Thorfinn had killed five of them on his way to Hermione. He would need to find a way to kill the remaining five brothers either before he tried to escape with Hermione and Radnor or after he got them to safety. From the sounds of the plan he’d just outlined to Hermione, he was going to go along with their ‘teachings’ long enough to get out of the shackles and catch them off guard. Then, after his little family was safe, he would turn his attention to getting rid of them! 

“Thorfinn? How did you find us? Did Anthony-?” Hermione pulled away long enough to ask. He had her on his lap, her legs on either side of him. There had been more material between them while she had the long dress on. Now, though, she was in his T-shirt, easily pulled up. He had his hand under the shirt, cradling her hips against his. 

“Yes. He sent a slip of paper with the name of the town and state. From there, all I did was talk to the bank teller. She directed me to your home. But the old man’s brother was the one who actually brought me to the exact location I needed to find you.” He saw the look of anger on her face. “Hermione, don’t be mad at him! Just think, what would be happening now if he HADNT sent that paper? You would, more than likely, be getting raped by some random stranger trying to save his own skin!”

Her eyes widened. Clearly she hadn’t thought about that! She certainly wouldn’t now have a small hope of getting rescued. ‘Why had Anthony done that? Did he know something was wrong? That something like this might happen?’ She started to turn to ask him but Thorfinn pulled her back to him before she could. 

Up on the bluff, Yaxley and Dolohov were eating as they gave them time to get reacquainted. They were trying to figure out how long of a timeframe they should give Thorfinn to try it his way. Dolohov was all for busting in immediately and killing them all. The Dark Lord wouldn’t wait for them forever! Yaxley shook his head. He decided they would give him a week but take it day by day. If it looked like he was in immediate danger, they would intervene. If not, they would continue to give him his space. 

It went unspoken that Thorfinn would also be using this time to get to know his new bride and their son. He had married the witch as a way of avoiding having to hand her over to Potter and company once they were back in Britain. After all, even the Boy Who Lived wouldn’t want to bust up a happy little family, right? Yaxley had to hand it to him: He was a very clever boy, in spite of the fact that he DID have his blonde moments!


End file.
